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Commonwealth summit ends today

Brendan Boyle in Durban

Commonwealth leaders end their summit in South Africa today with decisions on Pakistan and a world trade strategy in place and plans on the table for a review of the body's future role.

The 54-nation club of mainly English-speaking countries with strong links to Britain yesterday confirmed the suspension of Pakistan until civilian rule is restored.

And outgoing Secretary General Emeka Anyaoku read a lengthy declaration linking a plea for a fairer deal under the World Trade Organisation with a pledge to pursue clean and democratic government.

''Heads of government condemned the unconstitutional overthrow of the democratically elected government of Pakistan on October 12,'' the leaders said in a decision adopted during a two-day private retreat in the south coast resort of George.

''They endorsed CMAG's (Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group) decision to suspend the military regime in Pakistan from the councils of the Commonwealth, pending the restoration of democracy in the country.''

The ruling gives General Pervez Musharraf two years in which to restore democracy, but allows the Commonwealth's watchdog ministerial group to recommend a further crackdown if there is no early evidence of a move towards elections.

On globalisation, the theme chosen by South African President Thabo Mbeki for the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the leaders issued a strong call to protect smaller and developing economies from the effects of tumbling trade and investment barriers.

''Despite the progress of the past 50 years, half the world's population lives on less than 2 dollars a day... The poor are being marginalised,'' the 45 leaders at the retreat said in their declaration.

They urged the ministers preparing for the next round of WTO negotiations to pursue a developmental agenda and ensure better access to world markets for developing and very poor countries.

''Recognising that good governance and economic progress are directly linked, we affirm our commitment to the pursuit of greater transparency, accountability, the rule of law and the elimination of corruption in all spheres of public life and in the private sector,'' they said.

Officials said the leaders would today finalise a proposed review and extension of the mandate of the eight-nation ministerial action group that acts as the Commonwealth's watchdog on democracy and human rights.

The group is expected to be asked to measure democratic performance on electoral guarantees, press freedom and judicial process amongst other issues.

The association is expected also to endorse a call by Mbeki and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for a committee to review and revise Commonwealth structures and processes.

The meeting was scheduled to end about midday with the publication of a final communique covering economic, political and health issues.

Reuters

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