WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is weighing its options on who, if anybody, should represent the United States at a U.N. conference on racism in South Africa now that Secretary of State Colin Powell is not going.
The administration could decide to send a delegation from Washington or from southern Africa, or it might decide to send no one at all, a senior official said Monday night. The conference is set to begin Friday in Durban, South Africa.
If the Washington option were to be chosen, the announcement would almost have to come as early as Tuesday given the limited time left before the conference starts, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The State Department ended long weeks of speculation Monday by announcing that Powell had decided not to attend because of Arab-backed "offensive language" that accused Israel of implementing racist policies against Palestinians. The United States stand drew praise from pro-Israeli groups and a sharp rebuke from the Rev. Jesse Jackson.