US may skip out of racism conference

MONDAY, JULY 30, 2001

Secretary of State Colin Powell and other officials are warning that the United States will not attend an upcoming conference on racism if the topics of slavery reparations and Zionism as racism are discussed,

According to Powell, the two topics are "regional issues" and their discussion will prevent the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance from addressing the larger issue of how racism affects the world.

Powell has been urged to attend the conference, which takes place in South Africa next month.

Senator Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) told Alaska Natives they should be wary of attending the conference because it may only be a "sham" that serves to embarrass the United States.

Get the Story:
U.S. Warns It May Skip Conference On Racism (The Washington Post 7/27)
Courtland Milloy: Colin Powell: Bush Man Or Black Man? (The Washington Post 7/29)

Relevant Links:
World Conference Against Racism, UN - http://www.un.org/WCAR

Related Stories:
Powell urged to attend racism conference (7/11)
Natives urged against approaching UN (5/11)