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US Has Not Withdrawn Whole Delegation: Robinson
The United States has not withdrawn its entire delegation from the ongoing third World Conference Against Racism (WCAR), said U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights Mary Robinson at a media briefing Tuesday in Durban.
Robinson's announcement came after the U.S. proclaimed on Monday that its representatives were to "return home" in protest at bids to single out Israel for condemnation in the conference declaration.
Robinson, also WCAR secretary-general, said the head of the U.S. delegation Michael Southwick had phoned her from Durban's airport on Tuesday morning to make a "clarification".
Southwick had explained that though he and other Washington- based U.S. representatives were leaving, U.S. Consul General in Durban Craig Kuehl would remain at the conference to represent U.S. interests.
Kuehl would be there as delegate, not as an observer, Southwick said.
"I would really like to emphasize, I believe we're back on course," Robinson said at the media briefing.
However, U.S. spokeswoman Judy Moon said Kuehl would not be participating in any of the activities of the conference.
"The eyes and ears are there but he is not participating in any way," she said.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said "today I have instructed our representatives at the World Conference Against Racism to return home."
The pullout of the United States was followed by an Israeli announcement that its delegation would also be leaving.
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