Vice President Hamid Ansari leaves for India after CHOGM

Vice President Hamid Ansari today left for India after attending the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting here.

Ansari, who represented India at the summit of the leaders of the 54-nation bloc, had also held informal meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, among other world leaders here.

However, no bilateral talks was held with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Taking a step-by-step approach to reforms, the Commonwealth has agreed to adopt some of the recommendations of an eminent persons group to make it more relevant in current times, but has virtually rejected the proposal for a human rights commissioner.

The final CHOGM communique yesterday, the last day of the summit, noted the "impasse" in the Doha round and urged the trade ministers' World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting in December to commit to make "substantive progress" as well as make a formal "anti-protectionist pledge".

The communique also called for "accelerated efforts" to conclude negotiations on a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

It endorsed India's position that seeks a quick conclusion to the negotiations on the CCIT at the UN.

'UK sees India as a leader'

Britain’s minister of state for Commonwealth, Lord David Howell, on Wednesday sought a leadership role for India in reviving the 54-nation Commonwealth.

Speaking at the Indian Council of World Affairs here, Lord Howell said: “The UK sees India, as do other members of the Commonwealth, as a leader, exemplifying the principles that bring the commonwealth together – freedom, democracy, good governance and the rule of law, free trade and human rights.”

He added, “India matters to the Commonwealth, and it is evident that the Commonwealth matters to India."

Hailing the world’s largest democracy, Lord Howell said, “Perhaps India has more than most to gain from the Commonwealth. Not only is India the largest country in the organisation, it is the fourth largest contributor to programmes.”

He further underlined the change in the world order, saying “Economic power and influence is moving east and south, with the rise of the emerging economies in Asia, Africa and Latin America.”

The British Foreign Office minister also insisted on working together on the important global issues.

The Commonwealth is scheduled to hold the summit of its leaders at Perth in Australia in October.