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Thursday, 7 March, 2002, 16:34 GMT
The Commonwealth's dilemma
![]() Britain, backed by Australia and New Zealand, is pushing for tough action against Zimbabwe if Robert Mugabe is found to have used intimidation and violence to win the presidential elections. Commonwealth leaders have set up a body to consider suspending Zimbabwe, but it will not act before the elections. BBC News Online looks back at recent events.
4 March 2002
Commonwealth leaders agree not to take immediate punitive action against Zimbabwe - leaving some members disappointed. Under a deal reached at talks in Australia, the leaders will set up a three-member committee to decide possible action, based on the findings of the group's election observers deployed in the country.
3 March 2002
Zimbabwe accuses Tony Blair of "disgraceful colonialism" for trying to have the country suspended from the Commonwealth. The attack by Zimbabwe's Information Minister, Jonathan Moyo, came after Mr Blair warned the Commonwealth's reputation could be damaged if it did not take tough action against President Robert Mugabe.
18 February 2002
After a meeting in Brussels the European Union imposes sanctions on Zimbabwe's ruling elite and pulls its election observers out of the country. The measures come just weeks ahead of hotly contested presidential elections and rising political violence.
17 February 2002
The Zimbabwean Government forces the head of the European Union's election observer mission, Pierre Schori, to leave the country, raising the prospect of EU sanctions against President Mugabe's regime.
14 February 2002
11 February 2002
31 January 2002
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