The Australian Government has decided not to attend a United Nations anti-racism conference in Geneva this week.
The Durban Review Conference is supposed to work towards reducing racism, xenophobia and discrimination.
But it has been mired in controversy since the 2001 meeting saw Israel and the US walk out over anti-Semitic comments made by some delegates.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says he has decided not to go to the conference because he is concerned it will again be used to air offensive views.
"Regrettably, we cannot be confident that the review conference will not again be used as a platform to air offensive views, including anti-Semitic views," he said in a statement.
"Of additional concern are the suggestions of some delegations in the Durban process to limit the universal right to free speech."
Canada, Israel, Italy and the United States have already indicated they will not participate.
The anti-racism conference's success is also thrown in doubt after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced he would attend, sparking renewed fears the meeting could end in acrimony like the 2001 conference.
Mr Ahmadinejad, who has stirred outrage by repeatedly calling the Holocaust a "myth" and with anti-Israel comments, is the only prominent head of state so far scheduled to attend the conference.
Some believe that, as was the case at the last conference, talks could be dominated by the debate over Israel's policies in the Middle East.
"Unfortunately, it now seems certain these remaining concerns will not be addressed in the document to be adopted by the conference next week," the US State Department earlier said in a statement.
"Therefore, with regret, the United States will not join the review conference."
Negotiators in Geneva say Western and most Muslim states had agreed on a declaration for the UN anti-racism conference that ironed out the most controversial issues relating to religious discrimination, Israel and the Middle East.
Source: ABC Australia
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