The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Mary Robinson, warned Arab states that next month's conference on racism would fail if they insisted on trying to put Zionism on the agenda.
"If there is an attempt to revive the idea of Zionism as racism we will not have a successful conference," Ms Robinson told reporters in Geneva ahead of the agenda discussions.
The United Nations Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance is to take place in Durban, South Africa from August 31st to September 7th. It has been billed as a turning point in the international fight against racism.
She conceded that negotiators had their work cut out to agree a draft text to take to the conference.
The United States has not yet decided whether to attend the conference on racism but strongly disagrees with plans to include discussions on Zionism and reparations for slavery, the State Department said today.
A senior State Department official traveling with US Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell in Seoul, told reporters a decision on whether to attend the conference in South Africa would depend on the outcome next week of preparatory discussions in Geneva.
"We have made quite clear in our discussions with many people involved that our participation will depend on how these issues are resolved," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Washington Postreported that the Bush administration would present its position to dozens of Washington-based ambassadors today and seek support for keeping the two topics off the conference agenda.
"We need to be really clear about our position," a State Department official was quoted as telling the Post. "We don't want anybody to be surprised when they look up on the day of Durban and wonder why we're not there."
The Post said the official's comment was a firm message to Ms Robinson the main organizer of the racism conference.