The UN Conference on Racism, after months of wrangling and controversy, reached agreement on language for a new declaration condemning racism, intolerance and xenophobia.

Final approval by delegates is expected Friday, according to reports.

The Conference, which opened in Geneva this week despite boycotts by the United States, Israel, Canada, Germany and other nations, created  headlines more for political wrangling that sorrounded the event, than the issue of racism itself.  Discord mounted when Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the conference and used his remarks to describe Israel’s policies in the Mideast as racist.  Ahmadinejad’s comments were immediately condemned by UN Secretary Ban ki-moon.  The EU delegates returned to the conference after Ahmadinejad finished his remarks to take up the mission of the meeting, which is to find agreement on language for a UN Declaration that will condemn racism and intolerance.

The adoption of the resolution for the new declaration ended months of negotiation in which contentious clauses were removed referring to Israel‘s policies towards the Palestinians as racist, and attempting to make defamation of religion an offense against human rights.