Acrimony surrounds racism summit

Mid-East differences have dogged the summit build-up

A UN summit against racism has opened in South Africa with a call not to let the main issues of racial intolerance and xenophobia be drowned out by the wrangling which has dominated preliminary talks.

Six thousand delegates from more than 130 countries are attending the start of the eight-day gathering in the port of Durban, with the intention of forming an action plan to tackle racism.

If after all the difficulties we can leave with a call to action supported by all, we shall send a signal of hope to brave people struggling against racism all over the world

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan

But the issue has already exposed deep divisions, in particular over Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people, which prompted Washington to decide against sending a high-level delegation.

Opening the proceedings, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned that any failure to agree on an anti-racism formula supported by all would "give comfort to the worst elements of society".

But success "after all the difficulties... [would] send a signal of hope to brave people struggling against racism all over the world".

Mr Annan said the wrongs perpetrated against the Palestinians should not be ignored - but all societies had to confront intolerance.

'Beacon of hope'

The event began with a performance by dancers from the Ballet Theatre Afrikan dressed in costumes from around the world, followed by a minute's silence in honour of the late anti-apartheid campaigner and father of the current South African president, Govan Mbeki.

Mr Annan said there was no place more suitable for the conference than South Africa - "a country that was "synonymous with racism in its vilest form but is now a beacon of hope".

Landless blacks in SA say racism still persists

The Middle East issue is probably the most contentious issue confronting the conference, but rows have also arisen over demands for reparations for slavery and the Indian caste system.

South African President Thabo Mebki said black and brown people around the world had high hopes for a conference to tackle the "consequences of slavery, colonialism and racism".

But BBC diplomatic correspondent Barnaby Phillips says that message is undermined by the absence of any important leaders from the US and Western Europe.

As the conference was getting under way, thousands of demonstrators marched towards the venue to demand action on a variety of related issues.

The marchers assembled three kilometres (two miles) from the conference centre, chanting "a better world is possible".

Most were South Africans demanding redistribution of land, but they also included supporters of the Palestinians, migrant workers and the Dalit, India's untouchable caste.

Notable absentees

The US, Canada and Israel have all limited their representation to mid-level delegations in response to "offensive" language towards Israel in the draft declaration, although any equation between Zionism and racism has been dropped.

"We felt that our presence there on a higher level would legitimise this terrible effort," Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Melchior, who had been due to head his country's delegation, said in Jerusalem on Friday.

An anti-Semitism news conference was disrupted

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is expected to deliver a speech to the conference, has said the plight of the Palestinians should be treated as a global issue.

"No doubt it's one of the most serious problems now, which not only Palestinians are facing, [but] the whole world is facing," he told reporters.

Arab and Islamic states have been pushing to have Israel singled out as a racist state similar to South Africa before the collapse of apartheid.

Jewish groups attending a parallel NGO forum have meanwhile complained of harassment and discrimination after a news conference they held to denounce anti-Semitism was disrupted by shouting and singing from anti-Zionist activists.