Don Brash MP
National Party Leader
08 December 2003
CHOGM should have expelled Zimbabwe - Brash
National Party Leader Don Brash says CHOGM should have moved to expel Zimbabwe at its meeting in Nigeria, before giving
Robert Mugabe a stage from which to grandstand.
"The lack of tough action at CHOGM exposes the Commonwealth to questions over its credibility."
Dr Brash is commenting in the wake of today's announcement by Robert Mugabe that he plans to withdraw Zimbabwe from the
Commonwealth. The action follows the CHOGM meeting in Nigeria, which opted to keep Zimbabwe suspended from the
Commonwealth.
"Zimbabwe has had 21 months to reign in the lawless thuggery and bring its human rights record up to the standards set
for Commonwealth membership. It hasn't achieved that. CHOGM should've exerted some authority and shown some leadership.
"Australian Prime Minister John Howard has been quoted as saying 'the book was thrown at Fiji, the book was thrown at
Pakistan, at Nigeria, there's no reason why consistency shouldn't continue with Zimbabwe'.
"Robert Mugabe has shown no remorse, refuses to meet with the Secretary-General and has now delivered on his threats to
leave the Commonwealth.
"The lack of action at CHOGM has given him a platform from which to boast about his defiance," says Dr Brash.
"The New Zealand perspective should have been made a lot clearer. Instead, the Nigerian summit was allowed to meander to
an end with little more than a continuation of the status quo.
"In the meantime, impoverished Zimbabweans face more bloodshed while Robert Mugabe and his family plan their latest
luxury mansion." The National Party is also congratulating Don McKinnon on his reappointment as Commonwealth
secretary-general.
"The uncertainty over whether he would win a second term was the price he paid for backing a tough stance against
Zimbabwe," says Dr Brash.
Ends