The US is likely to boycott a UN racism conference, reports suggest, saying a text drawn up for the event criticises Israel and restricts freedom of speech.

An unnamed state department official said the draft document for April`s forum in Geneva was `unsalvageable`.

Canada and Israel have also said they plan to boycott the meeting.

In 2001, US and Israeli delegates walked out of a similar conference in Durban, South Africa, when a draft document likened Zionism to racism.

The 2001 draft expressed `deep concern` at the `increase of racist practices of Zionism and anti-Semitism`.

It talked of the emergence of `movements based on racism and discriminatory ideas, in particular the Zionist movement, which is based on racial superiority`.

`Unsalvageable`

A US delegation travelled to Geneva for negotiations earlier in February to try to agree the conference`s final document.

`Unfortunately, the document being negotiated has gone from bad to worse,` the unnamed state department official was quoted as saying by the Washington Post newspaper.

`The current text of the draft of the outcome document is, in the United States government`s estimation, unsalvageable.

`As a result the United States will not participate in the forthcoming negotiations on this text, nor will we be able to participate in a conference that is based on this text,` the official said.

Washington says the proposed text unfairly singles out Israel for criticism.

US officials say they are also concerned that some sections of the draft - which call for restrictions on the defamation of religions - could threaten free speech