UGANDA/PAKISTAN: Commonwealth meeting dominated by decision over possible suspension of Pakistan's members

Commonwealth summit is likely to be dominated by a decision on whether to suspend Pakistan from its number. A summit of the 53-nation Commonwealth this weekend is likely to be dominated by a decision on whether to suspend Pakistan for a second time because of President Pervez Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule. Nine days ago the club of mostly former British colonies threatened suspension unless Musharraf lifted the state of emergency and restored democracy by November 22. As Britain's Queen Elizabeth II arrived at Uganda's international airport in Entebbe on Wednesday (November 21) two days before she is set to open a Commonwealth Head's of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Pakistani seat was visibly unoccupied at a foreign ministers' meeting. Organisers said the country's representatives had been delayed but would be joining the rest of the group later. Suspension will be discussed by the Commonwealth ministerial action group (CMAG) which meets on Thursday (November 22). The discussion comes on the eve of a three-day summit of leaders who represent 1.8 billion people - more than a quarter of the world's population. Musharraf, who will not be in Kampala, has begun easing the state of emergency but is unlikely to have done enough to meet the Commonwealth's demands by the time the summit starts. Pakistan on Wednesday called on the Commonwealth to delay a ruling on whether to suspend the country's membership. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told a weekly briefing that Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro had spoken to his British counterpart, Gordon Brown, on Tuesday (November 20) night and also wrote to CMAG heads, saying that the political situation in Pakistan was returning to normal. Soomro was appointed last week to oversee an interim government until national elections set for January 8. Pakistan was suspended from Commonwealth councils in 1999 following a coup that brought General Musharraf to power, but was reinstated to full membership in 2004. It has remained on the CMAG watch list ever since. Separately, Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday called on the Commonwealth to readmit Zimbabwe into the British-led body, saying the decision by Robert Mugabe to withdraw in 2003 was unilateral. Speaking to Commonwealth officials and Civil Society groups at a forum in Kampala, Tsvangirai said: "The international community must make sure that the Zimbabwean situation is always on the international radar." He added: "We want to be part of the family of nations including the Commonwealth, but we have been denied unilaterally by an individual decision to be part of this family when we know we are part of the family. I think it is important for us to make sure again Zimbabwe becomes part of the Commonwealth nations." Zimbabwe was first suspended from the Commonwealth in 2002, following Mugabe's controversial victory in presidential elections. Then in 2003 the Commonwealth agreed to suspend Zimbabwe indefinitely. Mugabe immediately announced his withdrawal from the body.

ITN Source | November 22, 2007

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