LONDON, Feb 11: A bid by some members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) to re-suspend Pakistan from the Commonwealth failed when a majority of its members acknowledged Pakistan's democratic progress here on Friday.
The CMAG in a statement issued after the meeting noted the democratic progress made by Pakistan. The move to re-suspend Pakistan was initiated by two countries unhappy over the Commonwealth's treatment of Zimbabwe.
The CMAG meeting was chaired by Nigerian Foreign Minister Olu Adeniji. Out of its nine members, Bahamas, Tanzania, Malta were represented by their foreign ministers while Sri Lanka was represented by its foreign secretary and India by its high commissioner to London.
The strongest support for Pakistan came from Canada and Sri Lanka, while the majority advocated continued engagement with Pakistan. The CMGA statement, however, urged Pervez Musharraf to give up his dual role as president and chief of staff of the army by 2007.
"The group ... urged President Musharraf to relinquish one of the two offices," members of the Group said. Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth in 1999 after Gen Musharraf took power in a coup, but was readmitted as a full member in May 2004 after he agreed to give up his military post by the end of last year. -Agencies
