达悔恨或遗憾。170各国的态度似乎是出于担心正式道歉可能被解释为承认法律责任，导致无休止的法律索赔和经济赔偿。171这种担忧不仅阻碍了大会通过的《关于侵犯人权和国际人道主义法行为受害者赔偿权利的基本原则和导则》，172而且淡化了在 2001 年世界种族主义问题会议预备期间非洲区域会议和亚洲筹备会议的报告中申明的道歉和赔偿。173当时的欧洲联盟委员会总干事指出，欧洲联盟各国作出谴责和遗憾的声明时力图保证自己不作出具体的承诺。174美国在对《德班宣言》的谈判期间也抵制了作出道歉的呼吁。175 相反，美国表示愿意对历史上的不公正表示遗憾，然后就把视线集中在当前，包括通过发展援助和国家的改革关注当前。176 这一立场与据报告联合王国对于赔偿的立场相似。177
53. Several States have refused to issue a formal apology for their roles in slavery and colonialism, instead issuing expressions of remorse or regret. 170 States appear to be driven by concern that formal apologies could be construed as an admission of legal responsibility, generating lengthy legal claims and financial compensation. 171 Such concerns not only put the adoption by the General Assembly of the basic principles and guidelines on the right to a remedy and reparation for victims of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law on hold, 172 but also drove the dilution of the strong calls for apologies and reparations articulated in the reports of the Regional Conference for Africa and the Asian Preparatory Meeting held in 2001 during the lead-up to the World Conference on Racism.173 The then Director General of the European Commission noted that States of the European Union pursued statements of condemnation and regret in an effort to ensure that they remained free of concrete commitments.174 In negotiating the Durban Declaration, the United States also resisted calls for an apology. 175 Instead, it said that it was ready to express regret for historic injustices and then focus on the present, including through development aid and national reforms.176 That position was similar to the reported position of the United Kingdom on reparations. 177