Snubbing CHOGM

From Zimbabwe's leading news website, South Africa President Mbeki is staying away from the CHOGM meeting of Commonwealth leaders this November in Malta. Moshoeshoe Monare explains how Mbeki is 'miffed by what he saw as the conspiratorial agenda of some member states':

In a move interpreted as a protest, President Thabo Mbeki will not be attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta at the end of November. It is believed Mbeki felt let down by the meeting two years ago, when he took a pounding over Zimbabwe. While it is customary for heads of state to attend the biennial event, South Africa's delegation will instead be led by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka this year. Joel Kibazo, a Commonwealth spokesperson, said from London that although on the whole leaders attended, sometimes they did not due to pressing issues at home... He had not received any notification from South Africa that Mbeki would not be attending. "We expect the leaders to attend. This is a meeting for them, but sometimes they are in the middle of elections and cannot leave home," Kibazo said....