Outcome of UN racism event sign of great hope - de Bres

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres told a United Nations anti-racism conference he hoped all states who had boycotted the meeting, including New Zealand, would re-engage in the process.

Mr de Bres angered Foreign Minister Murray McCully with his criticism of the Government's non-attendance at the United Nations anti-racism conference.

Mr McCully said elected governments should make decisions on foreign policy, not a self-appointed "foreign policy guru".

In his speech to the Geneva conference, Mr de Bres said the adoption of the outcomes document should dispel any negativity about the process.

New Zealand did not attend the conference because the Government feared the declaration would restrict freedom of expression and because the conference was likely to create a platform for attacks on Israel.

Mr de Bres said the outcomes document had been "the subject of long and often difficult negotiations" but its adoption was a "sign of great hope that consensus had been reached on so many issues".

"It provided a good basis for making progress in combating racism and promoting cultural diversity."

An international group of national human rights institutions, including New Zealand's, meet United Nations deputy high commissioner Kyung-wha Kang to present a list of 14 commitments they made to implement the outcomes document.

These included promoting implementation of international racism treaties, working closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, sharing examples of good practice, monitoring racism and promoting the rights of indigenous peoples.

New Zealand was already doing may of these things, Mr de Bres said.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted a rare walk-out at the UN on Monday when he called Israel a "cruel and repressive racist regime" at the conference.

But on Tuesday delegates - including those who had walked out, except for the Czech Republic which stayed away - approved the anti-racism declaration.

The text "reaffirms" a contentious 2001 document that refers six times to Israel and the Middle East. It was adopted by consensus and without debate at a public session, well before the end of the week-long meeting.

The text covers issues such as xenophobia, immigration, migration, slavery, genocide, discrimination against gypsies and against people suffering from Aids.

- NZPA