UN human rights chief Mrs Mary Robinson was adamant today the UN racism conference could succeed despite rows over Arab charges of Israeli racism and African demands for reparations for slavery.
Mrs Robinson told a news conference there were important values to be set at the conference which opens in Durban, South Africa, tomorrow.
"First of all, we can reaffirm the value of human dignity," she said. "I believe this is a historic and a very important conference."
The Palestinian leader Mr Yasser Arafat flew into Durban today and Cuba's president Mr Fidel Castro was amongst mainly African government leaders expected to arrive for the conference, to be opened by United Nations Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan.
"Racism is a serious problem which not only the Palestinians face but the whole world is facing," Mr Arafat said on arrival.
However, Mrs Robinson, who is secretary-general of the conference and has been one of its main promoters, reiterated her view that Durban was not the place to try to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.
"This is a conference to move us forward. It is a conference of dignity. I have been disturbed by the personalised exchanges here in Durban," she said after Jewish and Muslim delegates exchanged angry words outside the conference centre this afternoon.
But it was still unclear if the US government would attend the conference in South Africa's main port.
US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell decided against attending when the United States and Israel objected to language proposed in the draft declaration by Arab and Islamic nations.
Instead, Washington said yesterday it would send a middle-ranking State Department official to Durban to try to amend the language on Israel, but would not necessarily take its seat at the opening plenary tomorrow.
Mr Annan hailed the selection of South Africa as host of the conference.
"This country has given the whole world a wonderful example. There could be nowhere more appropriate than the new South Africa for the world to be meeting to discuss racism and how to overcome it," Mr Annan told a forum of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
"It is people's attitudes and the way we treat each other that has to change, in every country," he added.
The conference was overshadowed by news that host President Thabo Mbeki had lost his father, Mr Govan Mbeki, a veteran anti-apartheid fighter, who died at his home in the coastal town of Port Elizabeth early today.
The presidency said Mr Mbeki would still attend the opening of the conference.
US President George W Bush said last week that the United States would take no part if the conference picks on or denigrates Israel for its treatment of Palestinians.
Washington fears Arab nations will use the conference to equate Zionism and Israel with racism and apartheid. In 1975 the UN General Assembly passed such a resolution, but this was eventually rescinded in 1991.
Over 6,000 delegates from 150 countries are taking part in the conference, which is also being attended by a similar number of representatives from non-governmental organisations.