Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his approach to the forthcoming UN Sponsored World Conference against Racism; known as Durban 2; his concerns, with regard to the agenda being set at the preparatory meetings for the conference; his view of Canada withdrawing from the conference for the specific reasons given by Canada for doing so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9010/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland intends to participate in the Durban II Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance which is scheduled to take place in Geneva from 20 to 24 April 2009. The original Durban Declaration and Programme of Action was adopted in 2001. Ireland has participated in the Preparatory Conferences and the recent Intersessional Working Group Meetings for the Durban II Conference which have been taking place in Geneva. The negotiation of the final document for the Conference started at the end of January 2009. Time is therefore short before the Durban II Conference takes place and many difficult issues are still under discussion.

Ireland and our EU partners are of the view that the broad consensus eventually achieved in Durban in 2001 has to be preserved. The EU is, therefore, concerned at certain developments in the process to date, and especially at the attempts of some delegations to introduce controversial and divisive issues and language that would divert the focus of the Durban II Conference away from the very real problems of racism and discrimination. This would indeed place the success of the Conference in serious jeopardy. Hence, we and our EU partners have made clear that it would not be able to subscribe to an outcome which would seek to limit or undermine human rights and fundamental freedoms or dilute the focus on racism and discrimination. Ireland and our EU partners are committed, however, to remaining engaged in this process as long as there is a reasonable prospect that the final document respects its position. A final document of a concise nature would serve to underline the character of the Durban II Conference as a review of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and would certainly appear more likely to achieve consensus.

I am aware that on 23 January 2008 Canada stated that it would not participate in the Durban II Conference. Canada said that the 2001 Conference had "degenerated into open and divisive expressions of intolerance and anti-Semitism that undermined the principles of the United Nations and the very goals the Conference sought to achieve". Canada also indicated that "it had hoped the preparatory process for the 2009 Durban Review Conference would remedy the mistakes of the past" but had concluded the process was too flawed to make the Conference worthwhile.

While I acknowledge the concerns that have led to the Canadian decision, I continue to believe that the Durban process is worthwhile and that the preferable course of action is to work within the process with a view to achieving an acceptable outcome document at the Durban II Conference. This view is shared by EU partners.