AJC Praises Latvia's Decision to Skip Durban 3

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Sep 23, 2011, 12:03 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC praised Latvia's decision to withdraw from the tenth anniversary commemoration of the UN World Conference on Racism. The event, known as Durban 3, took place at the UN in New York yesterday.

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"Together with other democratic nations, Latvia sent a clear message about that shameful hatefest," AJC Executive Director David Harris said during a meeting at AJC today with Latvian President Andris Berzins and Foreign Minister Girts Valdis Kristovskis.

Latvia joined with at least 14 other countries - Australia, Austria, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland and the United States - in skipping Durban 3.

"Latvia's decision to skip the commemoration of this lamentable gathering is inspiring," said Harris. "The Durban conferences were hijacked long ago by countries that prefer to spew hatred for Jews and Israel rather than help the victims of racism around the world."

SOURCE American Jewish Committee