The European Jewish Press

By Joseph Byron

Asked to comment Friday’s decision by Italy to boycott the conference, a French Foreign Ministry spokesman said : "We took notice of the Italian announcement. We thing at this stage that it is important to be in the process of preparation of the conference and we will see what’s going on.” “We think it’s important to be within the process of cooperation of Durban to avoid it becoming a place of tensions instead of defending human rights," Eric Chevallier said. He said France wants a EU common position on this issue. “We will see if we can put forward a European position," the spokesman said. Italy has become the first EU country to announce that it will not take part in the upcoming conference because, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said, the draft declaration contains anti-Semitic language. The inaugural UN racism conference, held in the South African city of Durban in September 2001, saw a walk-out by Israeli and US delegates in protest against a bid by Arab nations to adopt a resolution that equates Zionism with racism and attacks against Israel.

Israel, Canada and the United States have also vowed to boycott this year’s gathering, while Britain and Holland have threatened to walk away unless the language of the draft declaration is amended.

French Prime Minister François Fillon said earlier this week at a dinner of the umbrella Jewish representative body CRIF that his country would not hesitate to withdraw from the conference "if Israel is stigmatized."