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April 23, 2004/Iyar 2 5764, Vol. 56, No. 31
Powell adds heft to anti-Semitism parley
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's presence at an upcoming conference on anti-Semitism is expected to bring more attention to a growing international problem.
Jewish leaders believe Powell's addition to the U.S. delegation to the Berlin conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on April 28-29 will cause European nations to ratchet up their own participation. Leaders believe there will be more foreign ministers in attendance, and more international media attention.
"Everyone hopes that all the other countries will send someone of his stature to represent them," said Ed Koch, the former New York City mayor who will lead the U.S. delegation. "We are very grateful."
Jewish groups also are gratified that a coalition of civil rights leaders - including black, Latino and women's rights officials - will travel to Berlin as a sign of solidarity and to educate European leaders on tools and methods for combating discrimination.
Relations between black and Jewish leaders have been strained since the 2001 U.N. Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Jewish leaders sought to limit the U.S. presence there because of the threat of anti-Israel actions.
But Julie Fernandez, senior policy analyst and special counsel for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said civil rights groups saw international anti-Semitism firsthand in Durban, and wanted to show that com-bating anti-Semitism is part of the civil rights agenda.
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