Thousands of Zimbabwean farms have been looted
Mr Straw warned it was important not to "play into the hands" of President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party by dealing with the problem as a black versus white, Britain versus Zimbabwe issue.
But Mr Straw failed to stem criticism from shadow foreign secretary Francis Maude, who accused him of making "lame comments" while avoiding action against Zimbabwe.
Colonial issue
Interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Straw argued the important point was "to bear in mind is that this is now an international problem".
"One of the things I've been doing since I took on this job ... is to
ensure that we broke away from this caricature that, frankly, is exactly what Mr Mugabe wants in presenting this as a colonial issue between Britain and Zimbabwe and making it an international issue.
"The Commonwealth is not the British Empire, the British Government does not control the Commonwealth."
He said the Australian foreign secretary had made it clear that Mr Mugabe would be at the meeting of the Commonwealth heads of state in Brisbane next month.
But Mr Straw added: "I oppose what Mr Mugabe is doing.
"What is much more difficult and requires frankly much greater exercise is effective action."
'Head-in-the-sand attitude'
However, Mr Maude said the situation in Zimbabwe had been an international problem for well over a year.
"That Jack Straw only acknowledges it as an international problem now is typical of the 'head in the sand' attitude of Tony Blair's government," he said.
Mr Maude continues to press for Zimbabwe to be suspended from the Commonwealth, for a travel ban to be imposed against Mr Mugabe and his "henchmen" and for their overseas bank accounts to be frozen.
"Jack Straw's lame comments show his reluctance to take action, in any form, against Mr Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party", said Mr Maude.
He added that a bill calling for action similar to his own proposals was currently passing through the American Congress.