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U.N. Group Expected to Pass Two Drafts on Racist, Religious Bias Today

November 5, 1962
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Two separate United Nations declarations, one outlawing religious intolerance and the other making racial discrimination a violation of UN goals, are expected to be adopted here tomorrow as a result of a week’s debate in a General Assembly committee where Soviet anti-Semitism has been highlighted by leading Western representatives, including the United States, Britain and Australia.

The Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, which originally scheduled three sessions to the subject of drafting measures forbidding racial manifestations and religious prejudice, has already held seven meetings on the subject. This weekend, the committee adopted one resolution on the subject, “inviting” all governments to continue to make sustained efforts “to educate public opinion with a view to the eradication of racial prejudices and national and religious intolerance, and the elimination of all undesirable influences promoting these prejudices.” The resolution also calls on all states to rescind any discriminatory laws still on their books and “to take legislative or other appropriate measures to combat prejudice and intolerance. “

Arab representatives in the committee argued sharply against bracketing racial discriminations with religious Conference. The committee finally decided that a resolution to be voted tomorrow would separate the two issues, calling for the preparation of a UN declaration dealing with religious discrimination and for a separate draft convention urging the elimination of racial discrimination. The resolution, thus separating the two issues, is expected to receive the unanimous consent of the entire committee tomorrow.

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