Mugabe boycotts sanctions 'circus'

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe today boycotted talks in Nigeria where Commonwealth sanctions against his troubled nations were being discussed.

One of his ministers dismissed the gathering as a 'circus'.

The leaders of Australia, Nigeria and South Africa gathered for a meeting in the Nigerian capital of Abuja to discuss the sanctions.

Zimbabwe Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said Australia, backed by Britain, was conspiring against Zimbabwe at the meeting.

“No serious person expected us to be part of that kind of circus,” he said.

Australia, Nigeria and South Africa make up a committee formed by the Commonwealth to coordinate actions against Zimbabwe after presidential elections in March that were widely viewed as rigged.

Zimbabwean officials said Mugabe had originally been prepared to travel to Nigeria for the talks but decided not to because a formal invitation was never sent by Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who heads the committee.

Australian embassy officials in Harare, however, said a formal written invitation was hand delivered to the government in Harare in accordance with routine diplomatic practice.