Sydney - Australia looks set to join the United States in boycotting a United Nations anti-racism conference to be held in Switzerland later this month. Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said Monday it was the likely that the Durban Review Conference, to be held April 20-24 in Geneva, could see a reprise of the anti-Semitism that marked the initial South African event in 2001.

"Frankly, unless something qualitatively changes or something qualitatively different occurs, it is most unlikely that Australia will attend the Durban Review Conference in Geneva," Smith told reporters.

"I remain very gravely concerned about the prospects of the Durban Review Conference being a repeat of the earlier conference."

The opposition Liberal Party has urged Canberra to skip the Geneva event. (dpa)