DURBAN REVIEW CONFERENCE
INTERSESSIONAL OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP TO CONTINUE AND FINALIZE THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATIONS ON AND DRAFTING OF THE OUTCOME DOCUMENT
STATEMENT BY H.E. JUAN ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CUBA,
ON BEHALF OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT
(Check against delivery)
(Informal consultations with the Chair of the ISWG)
Geneva, 2 April, 2009
Mr. Chairman:
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the NAM.
The NAM has strongly supported the role played by you, Mr. Chairman, and your efforts to move the process forward with a view to achieve a meaningful outcome of the Review Conference. You have been able to provide this process with the leadership it requires.
The NAM also appreciates the continuous support and commitment of the High Commissioner, Mme Pillay, and her staff, to the success of the Review Conference.
We have received the new version of the draft final document. As already expressed by the NAM, we see that new version as an attempt to advance the negotiations process in an environment of collective commitment.
Certainly the document is shorter and more manageable than the previous version. This is something that is welcomed, although for the NAM the most important is not the length of the document, but the substance itself.
As for our approach to the next phase, we will make every possible effort not to present unnecessary additional paragraphs to the draft final document. Therefore, in as much as possible we will work on the basis of the existing paragraphs in order to strengthen the language contained therein. We call on all other actors to follow the same approach.
It is our firm believe that the strengthening of the text in no way means reducing it further. In other words, we want a text to be known by its substance and not by its size.
We certainly need to have an inclusive and comprehensive text which meets the international aspirations and the global concerns related to combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
There are several important issues for which the NAM remains concerned. On those issues the members of the Movement will work with a view to improve the document. Some of these issues are the following:
- We are concerned at the attempts to streamline the Durban follow up mechanisms. In this context, while we welcome the attempt to seek for more synergy among all these mechanism, we do not believe that this Conference is the place neither to eliminate mechanisms nor to redefine their status. This is a prerogative only of the Human Rights Council.
- On the other hand, while we appreciate the initiative to create an Observatory within the OHCHR, we think that we should be more detailed on the terms of reference of such Observatory. We have to be clearer and define directly the functioning and tasks it will have, before it is established.
- The discrimination against migrants worldwide is a matter of concern. This issue is included in various parts of the document but we believe that the references to it should be further enhanced.
- The issue of historic reparations, though to some extent reflected, should be also strengthened in the text. More serious attention should be given to slavery, the transatlantic slave trade and other past historic injustices.
- We will also pay special attention to the strengthening of the references of issues linked to the fight against poverty, under development and the achievement of the MDGs, which are essential to effectively fight racism and discrimination.
These are some of the main concerns of the members of the NAM with regards to the latest revised text. The members of the NAM will work on these issues, as well as on other ones, with a view to achieve a strong outcome of the Review Conference.
Mr. Chairman:
The Members of the Non - Aligned Movement remain firmly committed to the success of the Review Conference, and we call on all other partners to do as well.
The international community must show a collective determination to combat all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Thank you