Israel thanks Bulgaria for boycotting Durban IV racism conference
The government of Israel has thanked the government of Bulgaria for its decision not to participate in the UN high-level meeting on Durban Declaration and Action Plan scheduled for the end of September 2021.
In a statement, Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said that the country would not participate in the Durban IV conference: “Given the history of the process, there’s a risk that the forum could be misused for antisemitic propaganda. We stay committed to fighting racism in all its forms and manifestations.”
The Durban IV conference is a sequel to a United Nations conference held in the South African city in September 2001, billed as a conference on racism and xenophobia, but which was turned into a forum for Israel-bashing.
Israel’s government said: “This decision of Bulgaria is an expression of the high moral values adhered by the Bulgarian government and another clear proof of the strong friendly relations between our two peoples”.
Israel is grateful to Bulgaria for its friendship and outstanding support, the statement said.
Similarly, in 2011 Bulgaria also joined in a boycott of a successor conference to the Durban event.
“Israel urges other countries to make the same just decision and to withdraw from the antisemitic Durban IV conference,” Israel’s government said.
Countries that earlier announced that they would not attend the Durban IV conference include Austria, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel itself.
(Photo: Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
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