Reply #27: Here is the press release.

[dutchdemocrat]

As far as I can tell they are talking about new monuments... not old ones.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

INFORMATION AND PRESS DEPARTMENT
_______________________________

32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl., 119200, Moscow G-200; tel.: [phone], fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected], web-address: www.mid.ru



Unofficial translation from Russian
PRESS RELEASE

Adoption in Third Committee of the 60th Session of the UN General Assembly of a Resolution on the Inadmissibility of Certain Practices Which Contribute to Fuelling Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
2437-18-11-2005

On November 17, in New York, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, at the Russian Federation's initiative, adopted a resolution on the inadmissibility of certain practices which contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Our draft was cosponsored by Belarus, Tajikistan, Cuba, Venezuela, the Republic of South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan and the DPRK. The vote was 97 in favor, 4 against and 63 abstentions.

The resolution, citing the Nuremberg Tribunal Judgment and the outcome documents of the World Conference against Racism (South Africa, 2001), expresses serious concern over the rise of extremist movements and political parties advocating racism, ethnocentrism and xenophobia and engaging in the dissemination of ideology of fascism and racial superiority.

The resolution condemns the glorification of the Nazi movement and of former members of the Waffen SS organization, inter alia through the and by public demonstrations to glorify the Nazi past, the Nazi movement and neo-Nazism. In the document adopted by the Third Committee, it is especially stressed that the erection of monuments in honor of SS men, the holding of their marches and other such actions are an outrage upon the memory of the innumerable victims of fascism, have an adverse effect on the rising generation and are absolutely incompatible with the obligations of the UN member states.

In addition, the resolution stresses that such actions do not represent the exercise, but a clear and obvious abuse of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, as well as of the right to freedom of belief and to freedom of expression. Moreover, in the opinion of the General Assembly, such acts may fall within the purview of Article 4 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which requires that all the states party to the Convention prosecute them criminally.

It is stressed that such practices fuel contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia and aid the spread and multiplication of various extremist parties, movements and groups, including neo-fascists and skinheads.

Thus, following the UN Commission on Human Rights the General Assembly adopted an important thematic resolution on the problem of contemporary forms of racism. At the same time, any theme unfolds not in a vacuum, but in particular countries, which should take appropriate measures. Unfortunately, in a number of cases this does not occur, but quite the opposite takes place. We hope that this resolution will give a clear signal that the appropriate measures must be taken. It seems that genuine solidarity at the international, regional and bilateral level must consist in joint efforts to remove such manifestations, not in attempts to hush them up and to so present matters as if nothing happens. The resolution orients states towards cooperation and dialogue. Democratically mature countries should be ready for such dialogue and cooperation.

It is extremely bewildering and regrettable that some countries (the United States, Japan, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands)

voted against this document, and a number of countries, including all members of the European Union, abstained in the vote on the draft resolution, supported by an overwhelming majority of the UN member states.

http://www.diplomacymonitor.com/stu/dm.nsf/dn/dn50927D832DC4BB83852570BD0057C895