The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mrs Mary Robinson has said the World Conference Against Racism was back on course this afternoon and that there is a determination by participants to reach a conclusion.
Her statement follows the US U-turn this morning to remain at the conference with a down-graded delegation led by the consular general of the US in Durban.
The US and Israel walked out of the World Conference Against Racism yesterday in protest at language in conference drafts that branded Israel as racist for its treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories.
"I think it is very heartening that we are significantly back on course. We are very serious. Time is short and there is a lot of work to be done. The US is not withdrawing its delegation. The US consular general in Durban will now be the leader of the US delegation. He is to look after the US interest in a normal way", said Mrs Robinson.
She added that she was unclear about the Israeli position at the moment, and urged media to focus their attention on the important issues being deliberated upon at the conference rather than the contentious ones.
"This is a conference about victims and not where to point accusing fingers at a particular country. This conference is difficult. It is the first since post-Apartheid with strong civil society presence.
"The civil society has taken this wonderful opportunity to bring to our attention the huge discrimination they are facing," she told a news conference.