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France to Boycott Durban III
France will not attend the Durban III conference, dealing a heavy blow to the integrity of the anti-Israel “conference against racism.”

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
First Publish: 9/20/2011, 1:56 PM

France has announced it will not attend the Durban III conference in New York next week, dealing a heavy blow to the integrity of the anti-Israel “conference against racism.”



"This conference gave rise to an unacceptable diversion of the principles and commitments in the fight against racism. For this reason, and as pointed out by several of its European Union partners, France will not participate in the commemoration of this event," the French foreign ministry stated.

"France reaffirms its commitment to the universality of human rights and its determination to fight against racism,” it added. "France is committed to the pursuit of collective efforts in the UN …to effectively fight against all forms of racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racial discrimination."

The United States, Israel, Britain, Canada, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Italy and the Czech Republic, Germany and Australia already have said they will boycott Durban III, 10 years after the first Durban meeting in South Africa.

Poland, temporary head of the European Union, also has said it will not attend Durban III. However, Finland, Denmark and Romania are leaning towards attending the conference, whose agenda focused on alleged Israeli "Apartheid."