ABUJA, Nigeria, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Allies of Zimbabwe's embattled president failed to secure Zimbabwe's reinstatement to the Commonwealth, the Daily Telegraph reported Friday.
Supporters of Robert Mugabe also lost a fight to unseat Don McKinnon, the organization's secretary-general.
Both decisions amounted to a victory for Tony Blair, who came to the Commonwealth summit in Nigeria determined to ensure that Zimbabwe was not re-admitted before it had halted the repression of political opponents.
Zimbabwe was suspended from the 54-member Commonwealth following allegations of vote-rigging and human rights abuses in its March 2002 elections after President Obasanjo of Nigeria said last month the country had failed to make any progress towards restoring democracy and the rule of law.
The battle now moves to the terms and conditions that Zimbabwe will have to meet before it can be reinstated.
A committee of six countries, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Mozambique, India and Jamaica, has been told to draw up a proposal for a "mechanism" for Zimbabwe's re-admission.
It will report to Commonwealth leaders in Abuja sometime this weekend.
