US walkout from conference is strange
Regional-Israel, Politics, 9/6/2001

Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa on Wednesday termed as queer the US withdrawal from the world conference against racism. The US walkout represents a full bias towards Israel, he said in statements upon his return to Cairo from Durban where the conference is taking place.

He added that "We publicly support the article which spoke of what the Jews have gone through in the past but we should not forget the present and what Israel is doing against the Palestinian people."

Moussa in his speech at the conference Sunday said that the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the Arab lands is favouring one single people at the expense of others.

He warned against xenophobic remarks and referred to Israeli leaders statements in which they termed the Arabs as insects and serpents.

Moussa also held intensive diplomatic talks on the sidelines of the conference.

Within this context he met with the Presidents of Algeria and South Africa.

He also met with the foreign minister of Germany and with the UN Secretary general Kofi Annan. He also held talks with the Arab foreign ministers attending the gathering and discussed Arab coordination during the conference.

Moussa said he phoned the Belgian foreign minister, whose country holds the current rotating presidency of the European Union, the South African foreign minister and the Palestinian representative in the WCAR wording committee.

Commenting on the Israeli foreign minister's blaming the Arab League for mobilizing public opinion against Israel, the Arab League chief said the civil community all over the world condemns Israel for its practices in the occupied territories.

If Peres needs to avoid international protests, he should convince his government of changing its current policies, said Moussa.

As regards the recent statements made by UN Human Rights commissioner Mary Robinson, Moussa said she had to centre her efforts on how to change the Israeli policy. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's speech was balanced, he added.

Previous Stories:
  Afro-Arab coordination to ensure balanced Durban declaration   (9/3/2001)
  NGOs unanimously condemn Zionism as synonymous to racism   (9/3/2001)
  Moussa raps Israel's anti-Arab hatred, warns against selective approach   (9/3/2001)

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