• Most Popular
  • Most Shared

U.S. says will not attend U.N. conference on racism

WASHINGTON
Sat Apr 18, 2009 8:01pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will boycott next week's United Nations conference on racism in Geneva because of "objectionable" language in the meeting's final document, the U.S. State Department said on Saturday.

Barack Obama

"It now seems certain these remaining concerns will not be addressed in the document to be adopted by the conference next week. Therefore, with regret, the United States will not join the review conference," said State Department spokesman Robert Wood.

The United Nations organized the forum to help heal the wounds from its last such forum, in Durban, South Africa. The United States and Israel walked out of that 2001 conference when Arab states sought to define Zionism as racist.

(Reporting by Sue Pleming; editing by Todd Eastham)
Barack Obama


More from Reuters

An image of U.S. President Barack Obama is seen in an exhibition at the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo December 9, 2009. Two leading international human rights groups gave Obama mixed reviews on his human rights record on Wednesday, a day before he is slated to accept the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International urged Obama to use his acceptance speech on Thursday to renew U.S. leadership on human rights after its position was undermined by abuses committed during the Bush administration's war on terrorism. REUTERS/Chris Helgren

Copenhagen: What of Obama?

President Barack Obama’s decision to attend the climate talks in Copenhagen is said to show the White House is serious about pursuing a deal to curb global warming. What should Obama commit to on climate change? Share your views.  Full Article | Related Story 

    Climate Conference
    Tom Metzold, Vice President of Eaton Vance Management and Senior Portfolio Manager at Eaton Vance, speaks at the Reuters Global Media Summit in New York, December 9, 2009. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

    "Everything's not hunky-dory"

    Did the worst downturn in 70 years leave a permanent scar? Top money managers like Tom Metzold examine how a "new normal" will shape things to come.  Full Article 

    Investment Outlook Summit
    A crown in a file photo. REUTERS/File
    Special Report:

    No longer king of the hill

    When times were good, hedge fund managers could do what they wanted and people still lined up for a piece of the action. What will the post-crash, post-Madoff, post-Galleon hedge fund universe look like?  Full Article 

    Hedge Funds