09/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 5 December, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg and Director of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency Morten Kjaerum jointly called on European governments to remain engaged in preparations for the United Nations review conference against racism in April 2009. “Racism is a global phenomenon. No country, no region is free of this social ill - including the European countries,” they say in a press release. They believe that the Durban II world follow-up conference will afford an opportunity to illustrate and to review some of the many important measures taken by European countries to bring about the targets proclaimed at the 2001 World Conference. Israel has announced its intention to boycott the conference, for fear that it become an anti-Israel tribunal. (B.C./transl.rt)