Dutch foreign minister boycotts racism conference

From The Washingtom Post, Sunday, April 19, 2009, by The Associated Press:

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The Dutch foreign minister says he is boycotting a U.N. anti-racism conference because some nations are using it as a platform to attack the West.

...Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said in a statement Sunday that some countries were planning to use the summit to put religion above human rights and rein in freedom of speech.

He has called the proposed closing declaration "unacceptable." ...