Hans Rustad Italia varsler at det ikke vil delta på den såkalte Durban II-konferansen i Geneve i april, hvis ikke antisemittismen fjernes fra det forberedende dokumentet. USA har lagt seg på samme linje. Nå vokser boikottlinjen.
Italy said Thursday it is pulling out of a U.N. conference on racism — the latest blow to a meeting seen by many Western governments as marred by Muslim attempts to attack Israel and shield Islam from criticism.
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Italy has withdrawn its delegation from the preparatory negotiations ahead of the so-called Durban II conference due to «aggressive and anti-Semitic statements» in the draft of the event’s final document.
Frattini’s comments, made on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels, were reported by Italian news agencies. Ministry Spokesman Maurizio Massari confirmed Frattini’s statements and said Rome would not participate in the conference unless the document was changed.
«There are expressions of anti-Semitism,» Massari said by telephone. «Until the document is modified we will not have a part in it.»
The United States has imposed similar conditions. Israel and Canada have already announced a boycott.
