Pak. to remain suspended from C'wealth councils

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, SEPT. 5. Pakistan is to remain suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth until its return to democracy, according to a decision of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) which met here this week ahead of the Commonwealth summit in Brisbane next month. The Group also sought an ``active monitoring role'' for Commonwealth in the run-up to democratic elections in Pakistan. The meeting, which was attended among others by the British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Jack Straw, took note of the Pakistani President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf's ``road map'' to democracy but decided that it was not enough to revoke the suspension.

This means that Gen. Musharraf would not be eligible to attend the Brisbane summit of the Commonwealth Heads of Government. Pakistan was suspended from the Councils of Commonwealth when Gen. Musharraf seized power in a coup in October 1999 and since then Commonwealth has been pressing Islamabad to announce a timetable for restoration of democracy. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mr. Don McKinnon, has described Gen. Musharraf's ``road map'' announced on August 14 as a ``step in the right direction'' but the CMAG believes that it does not go far enough. In a statement here on Tuesday after a two-day meeting, the CMAG expressed concern over the continuation of a ``non-democratic'' Government in Pakistan which, it said, was in ``violation of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values'' laid down in the Harare Declaration.

It recommended to the Heads of Government that Pakistan's status in the Commonwealth ``should remain unchanged pending a return to democratic Government, i.e. Pakistan will remain suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth.''

The meeting recommended that the Commonwealth Secretary-General should have an ``active monitoring role'' in the period leading to the restoration of democracy, and suggested deployment of Commonwealth observers for the coming national and provincial elections in Pakistan. The CMAG decision was expected to evoke a mixed reaction in Islamabad - disappointment over its continued suspension but also perhaps a sense of relief that its membership of the Commonwealth remains intact. The strong reaction of the Commonwealth Secretary-General when Gen. Musharraf declared himself President in June had prompted speculation whether Pakistan should be allowed to stay on in the Commonwealth. Gen. Musharraf's ``road map'' to democracy appears to have limited the damage.

Fiji situation

The CMAG also reviewed the situation in Fiji, which too is suspended from the Councils of the Commonwealth. It was decided that if the Commonwealth Observer Group monitoring the current elections in Fiji was satisfied that they were free and fair and would result in the formation of a democratically elected government then the suspension could be revoked. The meeting expressed concern over the situation in Zimbabwe, and decided to review the developments there again shortly before the Brisbane summit.

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Section  : International
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