Uncertainty looms over racism meet

By M. S. Prabhakara

DURBAN, SEPT. 4. The fifth day of the World Conference Against Racism resumed its deliberations on Tuesday morning with some uncertainty among the delegates about the shape and direction of the conference, following the decision of the United States and Israel to withdraw from the meet.

As expected, the formulations on the situation in West Asia have led to the decision by the U.S. and Israel. Though the directive to the U.S. delegation to leave the conference was given by the U.N. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, he continues to be projected in the South African media as the ``unwilling victim'', forced to take these decisions at the behest of the President, Mr. George W. Bush.

However, sustained efforts continue behind the scenes to salvage the conference. A spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary General said that Mr. Kofi Annan, who has left Durban but is closely monitoring developments here, while ``disappointed'' at the decision of Israel and the United States, urged all the countries to stay the course. ``The conference cannot afford their defections'', Mr. Annan said.

Dr. Nkosasazana Zuma, President of the WCAR and South Africa's Foreign Minister, said on Monday evening that efforts were on to adopt an ``entirely new document'' which may find acceptance. She wondered why the U.S. and Israel decided to withdraw on Monday when the conference was still discussing the Draft Declaration and which was due for adoption only on Friday. A statement issued by Dr. Zuma said fresh proposals had been made to the Conference Bureau for reaching ``a consensus on the particularly difficult issues relating to the Middle East''.

Another hopeful sign is the decision of the 15-member European Union to remain united ``on the substance as well on the format, whatever development may occur during this conference''. According to Mr. Louis Michel, President of the Council of the European Union, the 15 members of the E.U. had ``mandated'' him to accept the proposals made by Dr. Zuma ``which consists in drafting a completely new text that could lead to a consensus''.

In essence, these efforts seek to project the dispute, and the disputatious formulations that have given rise to the dispute, on the present situation in West Asia and its historic roots as essentially a matter of reconciling the ``language'' of the Draft Declarations. Indeed, the emphasis all along has been on the language of the Draft Declaration, not the substance of the issues formulated.

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Section  : International
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