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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 001385 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2019 
TAGS: PREL EAID PHUM PINR NI CE FJ NZ CA MY UK
SUBJECT: COMMMONWEALTH ON FIJI, SRI LANKA, NIGERIA, QUEEN'S 
SUCCESSION, AND THE VALUE TO USG OF COMMONWEALTH ENGAGEMENT 
 
REF: LONDON 580 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  During a June 11 discussion with Poloff, 
Commonwealth Political Director Amitav Banerji offered 
electoral commission capacity-building as an area where the 
USG and Commonwealth could be strategic partners; said a 
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) would soon 
discuss and likely recommend full suspension of Fiji; noted 
concern about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka; and 
indicated the Commonwealth is keeping a watchful eye on 
Nigeria because of the constitutional crisis that could ensue 
if President Yar'Adua dies.  While noting that it was not 
actively being dicussed, Banerji acknowledged that succession 
of the Head of the Commonwealth would have to be dealt with 
when Queen Elizabeth passes, as there is no rule stipulating 
that the British monarch is the head and no procedure for 
selecting a new head.  End Summary. 
 
USG Engagement 
-------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Commonwealth Secretariat Director of Political Affairs 
Amitav Banerji reiterated to Poloff Commonwealth SYG Kamalesh 
Sharma's desire for "strategic engagement" with the USG on 
June 11.  Noting the important role of electoral commissions 
in conducting credible elections, Banerji said Sharma hopes 
to create a network of electoral commissions across the 
Commonwealth, whereby newer commissions in fragile 
democracies could receive guidance and support from 
commissions in more established democracies.  He offered this 
initiative as an example of where the USG and Commonwealth 
have mutual interests and where the USG could use the 
Commonweath's technical electoral commission 
capacity-building capability and independent, "baggage free" 
status to promote democracy abroad. 
 
Fiji 
---- 
 
¶3. (C) Noting that the Commonwealth had past the deadline set 
at the May CMAG meeting to re-consider full suspension of 
Fiji (reftel), Banerji said he was very "frustrated" that 
CMAG had not yet met to discuss Fiji, especially as the 
Commonwealth's credibility could be damaged by not taking a 
decision as indicated at the last meeting.  He said CMAG had 
not met purely for scheduling reasons, and that the 
Secretariat hopes to hold the meeting by the end of the 
month, though he was not confident it would be possible.  He 
thought CMAG would move for full suspension of Fiji, 
intimating there had been difficult discussions at the 
previous CMAG meeting on Fiji with New Zealand pushing hard 
for full suspension and Malaysia wanting to ensure that Fiji 
did not withdraw from the Commonwealth to pre-empt a full 
suspension a la Zimbabwe. 
 
Sri Lanka 
--------- 
 
¶4. (C) Banerji said that the human rights situation in Sri 
Lanka during and after the recent military offensive had been 
raised "informally and off the record" by the UK during the 
last CMAG meeting, forcing a difficult conversation with the 
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, as Sri Lanka is currently a 
member of CMAG.  Banerji said the Commonwealth continues to 
watch the situation in Sri Lanka and noted that Sri Lanka's 
offer to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government 
Meeting (CHOGM) had been turned down over concerns about 
lending international credibility to the Government's actions. 
 
Nigeria 
------- 
 
¶5. (C) The Commonwealth is also keeping a watchful eye on 
Nigeria, Banerji noted, as it is "punching well below its 
weight" and President Yar'Adua's sudden death has the 
potential to prompt a constitutional crisis.  The 
Commonwealth would like to see Nigeria more active in the 
region and in the Commonwealth across the board.  Banerji 
noted that Yar'Adua did not make a single intervention at the 
last CHOGM, contrasting sharply with former President Obsanjo 
 
LONDON 00001385  002 OF 002 
 
 
who had been active in Commonwealth affairs. 
 
Succession of the Head of the Commonwealth 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (C) Banerji acknowledged that succession of the Head of 
the Commonwealth would have to be dealt with when Queen 
Elizabeth passes, as there is no rule stipulating that the 
British monarch is the head and no procedure for selecting a 
new head.  He acknowledged that heir-apparent to the British 
Crown, Prince Charles, does not "command the same respect" as 
the Queen and said the Commonwealth was trying quietly to get 
him more involved in Commonwealth affairs.  Banerji noted 
Marlborough House, the Commonwealth Secretariat's current 
location, was a royal property, owned and funded by the 
British Royal Family, and mused that may be a factor in the 
discussions.  He noted that succession was not actively being 
discussion within the Commonwealth. 
 
 
Visit London's Classified Website: 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom 
 
LeBaron