Washington, DC – Congressman Howard L. Berman, Ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement on Secretary Clinton's decision to not participate in the Durban III conference.

“I applaud Secretary Clinton's announcement today that the U.S. will not participate in the so-called "Durban III" conference against racism later this fall in New York. While the U.S. must remain a leader in efforts to combat racism around the world, the legacy of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel vitriol in the Durban process convinced me that this September's conference would not be a substantive improvement over previous Durban process meetings. It is my hope that this announcement will not only prod others to pull out of the flawed Durban process, but also jumpstart efforts to foster a more credible alternative to discuss the pressing issues of combating racial discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance, and bigotry.”

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