The stage is set for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) which begins in the Australian city of Perth on Friday. Most of the leaders of the 54 member grouping have arrived to attend the summit which comes in the backdrop of economic slow down in the US and European countries.
Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari is already in Perth to represent India at the gathering of nations who look up to India as role model for growth and preserving democracy.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai will also be part of Indian Delegation. On the eve of the meet, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has urged Commonwealth leaders to unite and work together on the world's most pressing issues, like food security, economic stability and climate change.
Ms Gillard said, at a time when global economic power is shifted, when new and emerging countries are playing an increasing important role, Commonwealth has a new sense of purpose and promise. She said leaders should project a united voice on important issues such as climate change and sustainable development.
Commonwealth secretary-general Kamlesh Sharma said, this is going to be a landmark Perth CHOGM. He said the diversity of the Commonwealth's membership would help it make a significant contribution to upcoming global summits. But both he and Ms Gillard agreed the Commonwealth needs to do more than merely set its core values but to act on them, Mr. Sharma said the Commonwealth is working hard on its principles.
AIR correspondent covering the CHOGM Summit reports from Perth that demonstrators have started arriving in the city to stage CHOGM-Occupy Perth protest rally even as the Australian Police today warned that violence will not be tolerated. The protest group, which is rallying for 'justice and climate action and not racism and war', has been allowed to stage a walk in some areas of the city. The Perth Convention Centre, where the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will be inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth has been turned into a fortress. Senior Police Officer Chris Dawson said a contingency plan is in place in the event of demonstrators crossing the limits and the police will deal with them.
'Occupy Perth is part of a global movement that calls for democracy and protests against the corporates. Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett said protestors did not have a right to interrupt CHOGM or the Royal visit. He said, this is an international event of some of the richest, and most powerful countries as well as some of the smallest and poorest countries in the world and the problems they face are far greater than the problems Australia might face. The Australian postal department has released a new postage stamp to mark the CHOGM in Perth.
Former Australian Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott called on the Vice President Hamid Ansari on Thursday evening. Mr.Abbott supports selling uranium to India. He said, If India is able to expand its nuclear program, obviously that does make a significant contribution to reducing Indian emissions
