COMMONWEALTH MEETS OVER ZIM CRISIS

BRITISH Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said he will use a meeting of Commonwealth foreign ministers in London on Tuesday to exert pressure on Zimbabwe to ease the political crisis in the country. But the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is expected to stop short of sanctions to force Zimbabwe to end political violence and intimidation and hold legislative elections. Instead it is expected to call for a return to the rule of law and free and fair elections in the southern African country. The CMAG has the power to recommend Zimbabwe’s suspension from the Commonwealth, as it did with Pakistan last year after October’s military coup.