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Mugabe not to be invited to Commonwealth summit
Sydney, Sept 15: Zimbabwe`s President Robert Mugabe will not be invited to attend this year`s Commonwealth summit in Nigeria, a spokesman for Australian Prime Minister John Howard said today.
Sydney, Sept 15: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe will not be invited to attend this year's Commonwealth summit in Nigeria, a spokesman for Australian Prime Minister John Howard said today.
The decision followed pressure from Australia.
Quoting Commonwealth secretary general Don McKinnon and the Nigerian government, the spokesman said Mugabe would not be invited to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), to be held in the Nigerian capital Abuja in December. Some African countries, led by South African President Thabo Mbeki, have been urging the Commonwealth to relax its sanctions on Zimbabwe.
"I can confirm that the Commonwealth secretary general and the Nigerian government have confirmed that President Mugabe will not be invited to the CHOGM meeting in Nigeria in December. The Prime Minister had opposed inviting Mugabe so this decision is welcome," the spokesman said. "We consider that in the absence of any progress in addressing the concerns which led to its suspension from the councils of the commonwealth, Zimbabwe's suspension should stand."
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth last year after Mugabe was re-elected in its presidential elections. Bureau Report
Quoting Commonwealth secretary general Don McKinnon and the Nigerian government, the spokesman said Mugabe would not be invited to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), to be held in the Nigerian capital Abuja in December. Some African countries, led by South African President Thabo Mbeki, have been urging the Commonwealth to relax its sanctions on Zimbabwe.
"I can confirm that the Commonwealth secretary general and the Nigerian government have confirmed that President Mugabe will not be invited to the CHOGM meeting in Nigeria in December. The Prime Minister had opposed inviting Mugabe so this decision is welcome," the spokesman said. "We consider that in the absence of any progress in addressing the concerns which led to its suspension from the councils of the commonwealth, Zimbabwe's suspension should stand."
Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth last year after Mugabe was re-elected in its presidential elections. Bureau Report