Commonwealth Fails to Back Zimbabwe Suspension
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, was today unsuccessful in an attempt to win Commonwealth support for suspending Zimbabwe from the organisation over spiralling human rights abuses. At a meeting in London, Mr Straw had urged colleagues on the Commonwealth ministerial action group to back...
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, was today unsuccessful in an attempt to win Commonwealth support for suspending Zimbabwe from the organisation over spiralling human rights abuses.
At a meeting in London, Mr Straw had urged colleagues on the Commonwealth ministerial action group to back suspension amid mounting international concern over a campaign of repression by Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe.
The Commonwealth secretary general, Don McKinnon, expressed concern at the treatment of the media and opponents in the runup to the elections in March in a communique read out at the end of the meeting in London.
The CMAG called on the Zimbabwean government to prevent police and army involvement in politics, allow free electoral campaigning and end restrictions on the press.
But it stopped short of the threat of suspension proposed by Mr Straw. That will now be discussed at a meeting of the group which comes on the eve of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Australia in March, which has final say on suspension.
Speaking after the meeting at Marlborough House, Mr Straw said: "The overall result is less than we hoped but more than we expected.
"What we have done today is to set down the most concrete benchmarks by which the conditions in which the elections in Zimbabwe are able to take place, with an overriding imperative - even at this late stage - of trying to secure as free and fair elections as is possible."
Mr McKinnon said if the group had taken the "easy" option of suspending Zimbabwe six to 12 months ago it would now have no leverage over President Mugabe.
He said the matter would be reviewed again by ministers on March 1 - before the elections were over - when they would be able to consider a range of options from "simple disapproval" right up to Commonwealth suspension.
The shadow foreign secretary, Michael Ancram, said: "I am very disappointed that Commonwealth ministers have taken this view as I believe it sends out the wrong message to Mr Mugabe."
At a meeting in London, Mr Straw had urged colleagues on the Commonwealth ministerial action group to back suspension amid mounting international concern over a campaign of repression by Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe.
The Commonwealth secretary general, Don McKinnon, expressed concern at the treatment of the media and opponents in the runup to the elections in March in a communique read out at the end of the meeting in London.
The CMAG called on the Zimbabwean government to prevent police and army involvement in politics, allow free electoral campaigning and end restrictions on the press.
But it stopped short of the threat of suspension proposed by Mr Straw. That will now be discussed at a meeting of the group which comes on the eve of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Australia in March, which has final say on suspension.
Speaking after the meeting at Marlborough House, Mr Straw said: "The overall result is less than we hoped but more than we expected.
"What we have done today is to set down the most concrete benchmarks by which the conditions in which the elections in Zimbabwe are able to take place, with an overriding imperative - even at this late stage - of trying to secure as free and fair elections as is possible."
Mr McKinnon said if the group had taken the "easy" option of suspending Zimbabwe six to 12 months ago it would now have no leverage over President Mugabe.
He said the matter would be reviewed again by ministers on March 1 - before the elections were over - when they would be able to consider a range of options from "simple disapproval" right up to Commonwealth suspension.
The shadow foreign secretary, Michael Ancram, said: "I am very disappointed that Commonwealth ministers have taken this view as I believe it sends out the wrong message to Mr Mugabe."
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