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C'wealth may

urge sanctions

against Nigeria

KUALA LUMPUR: The Commonwealth may urge sanctions against its suspended member Nigeria if the West African country refuses to undertake democratic reforms, reports said on Friday.

If Nigeria continued to reject a meeting with the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), a human rights watchdog, the CMAG might recommend sanctions, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth at a summit in New Zealand in November, after it hanged nine human rights activists.

"The Commonwealth has to act and take measures to improve the critical situation and the suffering of the people in Nigeria," Abdullah told reporters after a meeting with Commonwealth secretary-general Chief Emeka Anyaoku on Thursday.

Chief Anyaoku, here for a meeting of Commonwealth Law Ministers, had earlier said Nigeria refused to discuss a meeting with a CMAG mission.

The CMAG is expected to meet at the end of the month to decide on action against Nigeria.-APP