UK: EDINBURGH: COMMONWEALTH LEADERS' SUMMIT: DAY TWO скачать в хорошем качестве

UK: EDINBURGH: COMMONWEALTH LEADERS' SUMMIT: DAY TWO

(25 Oct 1997) English/Nat Trade, investment and whether or not to further punish Nigeria have dominated day two of the Commonwealth leaders' summit in Edinburgh on Saturday. They've been drawing up an economic declaration -- the Commonwealth's first. Such a move could see the 54-nation group adopting an economic role, including raising private finance from poorer members of the largely Third World organisation. On Nigeria, though, summit leaders seem unlikely to approve any new sanctions against the military regime there. In the shadow of Edinburgh Castle - British Prime Minister Tony Blair exchanges pleasantries with Commonwealth Secretary General Chief Emeka Anyaoku. It's day two of the Commonwealth leaders' summit and the two men took a breakfast stroll in Princes Street Gardens before getting down to business. On Saturday's agenda: discussing new measures against Nigeria's military regime and drawing up an economic plan for the 54-nation Commonwealth -- the first of its kind. British officials want the Commonwealth, which groups Britain and its ex-colonies, to take on an economic role. More trade, more finance, will help lessen the gap between poor and rich countries, said the British Prime Minster. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The whole theme of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting is trade and investment and development. It's got an economic theme to it precisely because we believe there are tremendous opportunities for members of the Commonwealth to open up greater trade, to help each other and to help bridge the gap between (the) developing and the developed world." SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair, British Prime Minister Also being discussed: Nigeria. Amnesty International put up a 10ft (3 metres) high gallows outside the summit centre to step up pressure for tough action against the corrupt military junta in Nigeria. Nigerian opposition groups and human rights campaigners have heaped scorn on Commonwealth plans, which stop short of immediate sanctions. Amnesty said the gallows were a stark and vivid reminder of the violent death of human rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, and eight other campaigners nearly two years ago. Saro-Wiwa's son was in Edinburgh. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Quite frankly, what I've seen this week is the Commonwealth bending over backwards to appease the Nigerian regime and really they've backed themselves into a corner where only by imposing sanctions can the Nigerian regime toe the line. Just yesterday I gather that the Nigerian Foreign Minister called the Commonwealth a 'useless club.' I'm afraid the Commonwealth has to decide whether one nation is bigger than the Commonwealth or whether the Commonwealth will force Nigeria to toe the line." SUPER CAPTION: Ken Wiwa, son of executed human rights campaigner, Ken Saro-Wiwa When asked about stricter sanctions, Nelson Mandela refused to go into details. SOUNDBITE: (English) "According to that report, Nigeria has launched a process of transformation to democracy culminating on the first of October next year. But whether there has been sufficient respect for law and the basic human rights is a matter on which this summit may express an opinion and in view of that I do not propose to say anything further." SUPER CAPTION: Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa Also marching in protest in Edinburgh -- Tamils, angry at the Sri Lankan government's handling of the country's bloody civil war. Tamils have been fighting for a homeland in the north of the island - an issue which has had little impact on a Commonwealth summit agenda topped by economics. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...