Commonwealth update

The postponed CHOGM in Coolum, Australia, took place while a strong Commonwealth team was observing the last stages of a turbulent presidential election in Zimbabwe. The observers gave the election a big thumbs down and within days Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth. Earlier, the suspension of Fiji Islands had been lifted and its Prime Minister attended Coolum. Pakistan, however, remained outside 'the councils', although it had now come centre-stage internationally because of the war in Afghanistan and its strong support for the US-led war against terrorism. In Commonwealth Asia terrorists stormed the Indian parliament, Khaleda Zia returned as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and a change of government in Sri Lanka brought new hope of peace in Sri Lanka.