Zimbabwe to quit Commonwealth

Zimbabwe has withdrawn its membership of the Commonwealth. A statement issued by the Zimbabwe government said that President Robert Mugabe was telephoned by the leaders of Jamaica, Nigeria and South Africa to inform him of the Commonwealth's decision to continue with Zimbabwe's suspension. In response Mugabe, perhaps predictably, said that he was withdrawing his country's membership with immediate effect. The Commonwealth summit which has been running for the last four days in the Nigerian capital of Abuja has been dominated by the Zimbabwe question, to the annoyance of some delegates who said that more important issues, like AIDS and fair trade had been sidelined. Pakistan too remains suspended from the 54 nation member group. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said this was regrettable.