Israel edited out of U.N. racism statement

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 20 (UPI) -- The top human rights official at the United Nations says he doesn't expect any problems or boycotts heading into the upcoming racism summit in Geneva.

U.N. Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay said the adoption of a revised declaration that removed direct references to Israel seemed to satisfy the vast majority of the nations that will attend The Durban Review Conference next month.

Swissinfo.com said the new document does, however, express support for the declaration made at the first U.N. racism summit, which was held in Durban and did say the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was linked to racism.

Israel, however, did not agree with the revision and called on other nations to join it in boycotting the summit.