Queen Elizabeth Supports Commonwealth Reform to Uphold Democrating Rights
Queen Elizabeth has endorsed the need for reforms to allow the Commonwealth to deal with future challenges, according to The Australian.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2011, have accepted all 35 recommended course of actions for the strengthening of the role of the Commonwealth Ministers Action Group. A major contributing factor to the nod was the undemocratic overthrow of the Fijian government in a coup in 2006, according to WAtoday.com.au.
Fiji has been suspended from the Commonwealth since 2009.
"The purpose of these reform proposals is to enable the Commonwealth to act when a country is veering off course in terms of democratic values and the rule of law rather than waiting until a country has gone to a grossly unacceptable stage and leaders only having the option of suspension or expulsion in front of them," Prime Minister Julia Gillard said as part of CHOGM's initial statement.
"So already this Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting has dealt with some major reform proposals for the future working of the Commonwealth," Ms. Gillard took the occasion to highlight CHOGM's progress so far in its meeting with the Queen.