London, Mar 17: Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth has been extended for a further nine months, the organisation's secretary-general Don Mckinnon has said. The suspension was due to run out this week but it has been extended until the commonwealth heads of government discuss the situation in more detail when they meet in December.
President Robert Mugabe's government was excluded from the councils of the Commonwealth in march last year after international observers ruled the elections which returned him to power were seriously flawed.
Announcing the extension in London yesterday, Mckinnon said there had been some disagreement among different members of the Commonwealth as to what should happen next.
"Some member governments take the view that it is time to lift Zimbabwe's suspension from the councils of the Commonwealth when the one-year period expires on 19 March 2003," he said.
"Some others feel that there is no justification for such a step and that there is in fact reason to impose stronger measures," he added.
But Mckinnon said there was wide agreement that the matter was best left to be reviewed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Nigeria in December. Bureau Report