A STUDENT picked to represent Britain at an international conference today blasted the British Government for not sending a senior minister along as well.

Amar Abass, aged 18, from Blackburn, attended the International Conference Against Racism and Xenophobia and Related Tolerance in Durban, South Africa, along with 16-year-old Hamid Shafaq.

The event attracted around 5,000 youth delegates around the world. Suggestions made at the conference could be brought up at a similar meeting for governments around the globe. Amar stayed on to watch the senior conference, in which countries were supposed to recognise problems regarding racism and xenophobia which they can tackle.

The conference,

America's apparent close relationship with Israel is believed to have been why some Arabs were seen celebrating after the USA terror attacks took place.

Britain sent Baroness Valerie Amos, one of the Foreign Office's ministers. Her responsibility is for sub-Saharan Africa, Over Seas Territories and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Personnel. Ultimately, no agreement was reached but principles were laid down to improve human rights, racial and xenophobia issues across the globe.

And members of the youth conference have returned to their home towns and cities with the brief of trying to promote issues surrounding xenophobia and race.

Amar said: "Countries like Cuba were represented by Fidel Castro while Yasser Arafat also attended. I was annoyed that countries like Britain and America only sent very junior people from their government. While Britain's representative, Valerie Amos, was very nice and took our thoughts on board I do think it was an insult.

"This conference took 18 years to arrange and was so very sensitive. Has countries participated properly instead of walking out, so many things could have been improved for persecuted people.

"Tony Blair should have attended, or at least Jack Straw as Foreign Secretary.

"As he is my local MP, I hope to meet him to explain just how important this conference was. It seems to have been tucked under the carpet by Britain."

Amar, a UK Youth Parliament Ambassador and Blackburn College student governor, and Hamid, a member of Bangor Street Community Youth Club, each received £1,000 from Blackburn with Darwen Council to help fund the trip last month.

The conference was sponsored by Minorities of Europe, a campaigning group for people from minority communities.

Amar said: "We would like to thank the council for helping us attend this very useful conference. Having two of us there sent out a positive signal not only to the citizens of Blackburn with Darwen but to the world as a whole."

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said they sent the people most appropriate for the nature of the conference.