Maher follows up proceedings of Durban's WCAR
Egypt-Regional, Politics, 9/8/2001

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on Thursday received a phone call from his South African counterpart Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and another from the Egyptian delegation participating in the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) being held in Durban.

The contacts are aimed to reach an acceptable text on the Palestinian crisis, Maher said.

However, Maher noted, the text pertaining to Africa's problems "is non, unfortunately, accepted by the West-". It includes the issue of apologizing and paying compensations to African countries that were affected by Western colonialism.

It is wrong to say the conference will fail because the Arab and Muslim countries adopt a stringent stance, Maher said, saying that the attitude of Arab, African and Muslim countries had not been met with due respect from developed nations.

The top diplomat expressed his hope that the conference would succeed in achieving its aim, namely fighting racism, intolerance and xenophobia-which meant respecting human rights.

The human rights of the African people were violated by the occupation, and the Palestinians human rights are breached every day due to Israel's malpractices, Maher said.

"We all condemn the causes that led to the suffering of the Jews in the past, and we do not accept hostility towards the Jews, but at the same time we think that no one should monopolize pain and suffering, and that the Israelis are persecuting the Palestinian people", Maher said.

On reports that the European countries were threatening to withdraw from the Durban conference if the final communique condemned Israel, Maher said it would be wrong if Europe committed the mistake of the U.S. and Israel, adding that withdrawal showed an unwillingness to hold dialogue and ran contrary to democracy.

Those who are still taking part in the conference should see to it that the event become a success, he said, adding however, that "this does not mean that we bow to blackmail or any attempt to use a veto".

On the criticism which Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni levered at the Arabs, Maher said "I cannot imagine how president Museveni, who is keen on preserving his relations with the Arab countries, and already enjoys strong ties with these countries.

The contacts also reflected the international community' view that Israeli practices must stop, Ahmed Maher told Good Morning Egypt television programme in Durban.

Egypt's voice will always be heard, because when Egypt speaks at a conference, its voice is loud and clear and on the basis of the fundamental, legitimate and moral principles, told the programme aired Thursday.

Asked on pressure being applied on WCAR conferees to bloc the adoption of any resolution that would condemn Israel for its malpractice against Palestinians, Maher said that intense more pressure was being applied on the delegations to give up the insistence on what is just and righteous.

These pressures could influence a limited few, "but we call here to denounce racism, xenophobia and racial discrimination to guarantee the respect of human rights and relinquishing of these principles by any nation means the purpose of the conference was defeated," he said.

The battle is still on, it will be balanced and just, he added.

But if this is not the case, the conference will have defeated its main target, he said.

"We trust the wisdom of the delegations and the just cause we are defending, and thus any attempts to impair the conference threats to withdraw, or trying to use the veto power, which is nonexistent in this case, will fail," he added.

Previous Stories:
  Arab public opinion cannot be ignored   (9/6/2001)
  Mubarak works for peacemaking salvage   (9/6/2001)
  US withdrawal from Durban conf. 'incomprehensible'   (9/6/2001)

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