COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING (Hansard, 26 October 1993)

§ The Lord Privy Seal (Lord Wakeham)

My right honourable friends the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the Meeting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Cyprus from 21st–25th October. The final communiqué of the Meeting and accompanying documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

The emphasis of the Meeting was on the practical and constructive work of the Commonwealth. Agreement was reached on a range of important subjects. The "Limassol Statement on the Uruguay Round", expressed the Commonwealth's strong collective commitment to a comprehensive, equitable and balanced conclusion of the Round by 15th December 1993. Commonwealth Heads decided to send a mission of Ministers from Barbados, Canada, Ghana, Malaysia and Mauritius to call on the GATT Director General in Geneva, the European Commission in Brussels and selected capitals to press for urgent progress in the trade talks. Nothing will do more to promote growth and jobs for developed and developing countries alike.

The Meeting called for additional measures to reduce the debt burden of developing countries to sustainable levels and, in particular, for the full implementation of the Trinidad Terms. These discussions confirmed the view that the neediest countries, with a track record of economic reform, should be offered early and significant reduction on their whole stock of official debt. The Government will continue to press for this. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister secured strong support for his proposal that Commonwealth countries should strengthen their co-operation in combating the international menace of financial crime. There was agreement to work towards implementation of the 40 recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force set up 'in 1989 at G7 initiative.' The UK is the current chairman. This means that Commonwealth countries will seek to adopt best international practice in this area. Law and Finance Ministers are following up in detail. This will also help Commonwealth work on drug abuse and proceeds of illicit trafficking. My right honourable friend encouraged all Commonwealth governments not yet party to the relevant 1988 UN Convention to do so as soon as possible and put in place enforcement mechanisms.

It was agreed that the Commonwealth Observer Mission to South Africa was making an important contribution towards helping to stem the violence and should remain there until after the election next year. It was also agreed that a Commonwealth group should 85WA observe the elections as part of a wider international presence to build confidence in the electoral process. Commonwealth Heads looked forward to welcoming South Africa back into the Commonwealth at the earliest possible opportunity after democratic elections, if South Africa decides to reapply for membership. In lifting all economic sanctions still in place, endorsement was given to the appeals by President de Klerk and Dr. Nelson Mandela for foreign investment in, and increased trade with, South Africa to help overcome the social and economic legacy of apartheid.

The 1991 Harare Declaration on good governance has proved its worth. Since 1991, five out of the nine Commonwealth members without democratic government then have held multi-party elections. The Commonwealth has sent observer missions to each of these countries and has provided technical assistance to help the process. Much work on fundamental political values remains to be done. It was recognised that in this field the Commonwealth has its particular vocation. The Secretary General was mandated to give it a high priority.

In this context, the Meeting considered Cameroon's application for Commonwealth membership. It agreed to welcome Cameroon to membership at the next Meeting in 1995, on the condition that current efforts to establish a democratic system, consistent with the Harare Commonwealth Declaration, were by then completed.

The Meeting discussed a wide range of international political matters, including Bosnia and the Cyprus problem, and agreed that the Commonwealth Action Group on Cyprus should continue to monitor developments.

Commonwealth Heads accepted with pleasure the Canadian invitation extended to all governments to participate in the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia during 18th–28th August 1994. Commonwealth Heads also accepted with pleasure New Zealand's invitation to them to hold the next Meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1995.