Commonwealth meeting postponed

Organizers hope to hold the meeting early next year

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting due to take place in Australia in October has been postponed.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said the decision was made "purely for practical reasons" in the light of the attacks in the United States.

In these uncertain times it is easy to understand the desire of political leaders to be with their own people, in their own countries

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon

The meeting was put back after leaders of several key member countries including British Prime Minister Tony Blair pulled out.

He told the BBC the meeting had not been postponed in fear of a terrorist attack.

"No leader raised the issue of security. This really comes down to the nature of domestic politics," he said.

Consultation

"In these uncertain times it is easy to understand the desire of political leaders to be with their own people, in their own countries," Mr McKinnon said in a statement released earlier.

He said he was keen to reschedule the summit to early next year and would be consulting Commonwealth leaders about the exact timing.

McKinnon postponed meeting 'for purely practical reasons'.

Buckingham Palace announced earlier that Queen Elizabeth had postponed a visit to New Zealand and would not attend the meeting, which gathers the leaders of former British colonies.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the absence of the UK prime minister, given the Commonwealth's historic bonds to Britain, had raised serious doubts about the meeting.

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien also pulled out.

Mr Howard said he had wanted the meeting to go ahead, but accepted the secretary-general's decision "with huge regret".

Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee cancelled his attendance amid escalating tensions on the subcontinent ahead of a possible US military strike on Afghanistan.

Mr McKinnon said Caribbean leaders has stayed at home to deal with the "enormous economic difficulty" caused by the sudden drop in US tourist numbers.

Organizers of the Commonwealth Business Forum, due to be held next week ahead of the main meeting, said the gathering had also been put back.

Protests go ahead

But the Reuters news agency reported that anti-globalisation activists had vowed to ahead with protests planned for the summit.

Up to 10,000 activists are due to hold an anti-war and anti-racism rally on October 6.

Demonstrators said they would go ahead with a peaceful march but have cancelled a planned blockade of the conference venue.