***Centre-stage at the Commonwealth summit in Auckland (10-13 November) happens to be Nelson Mandela, attending his first meeting since South Africa resumed membership. It could be the most difficult meeting since the rows over how to end apartheid. But this time Nigeria and nuclear testing are the big issues.***

THE Commonwealth, now 52 nations strong with the admittance of Cameroon, faces a moment of truth as its leaders meet for their two-yearly summit in Auckland. It has to decide

how to stick to the principled it laid down for itself four years ago. The catalyst is Nigeria.

The Harare Declaration of

1991 said member countries believed in the liberty of the individual who had the "inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic processes in framing the society in which he er she lives.

Four years later, the Commonwealth has made some progress towards cleaning up its act, and the return of South Africa last year has enhanced Its reputation. On the other hand. Nigeria has broken all the rules. In addition, since the 1993 summit in Cyprus. The Gambia has been taken over by the military.

The trend in Kenya is anti-democratic, and human rights records of other members leave much to be desired.

The press in many Commonwealth countries is still shackled and broadcasting is mostly government-con trolled. The Commonwealth as an entity has not commit ted itself to freedom of expression

The big question for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Auckland is: what steps are to be taken against countries that break the principles they all accepted in Harare? If none, then Commonwealth declare tlons will be seen as empty rhetoric

Thia knotty issue is likely to be thrashed out by .he leaders when they go into retreat — a practice unique to the Commonwealth among International summits On these occasions the leaders leave nearly all their officials behind and go off to a remote

spot for private talks

This year the presidents and prime ministers go to Millbrook Resort. Queenstown. in the South Island, where they can walk and play golf and tennis in what the brochure describes as a spectacular amphitheatre of snow-capped mountains and breathtaking rolling country" Or they can sit around at the Italian Cafe or Hole in One Bar

The 1995 summit is shorter than in the past, but it promisee more offstage fireworks than for many years — Nobel prizewinner Wole Soyinka leading Nigerian protesters against the regime of General Sani Abacha and strong demonstrations against nuclear testing being certain. And. with more

overseas journalists in New Zealand than ever before, the Maoris see this as the biggest opportunity to make known their grievances to the international community. .

In addition, members from the Hong Kong Legislative Council are there to meet delegatee to the last Commonwealth summit before the colony is handed over to China. They hope some formula can be found by which non-government organisations can keep some Commonwealth links after 1997

But it is Nigeria and the problem of ridding the Commonwealth of military government that will gener ale the real heat The British are working hard to stitch up a compromise that will re-

lieve pressure on Nigeria. Their policy is one of carrot and stick. Nigeria is oil-rich and therefore to be treated carefully.

The British stick does not go much further than verbal disapproval of continued political Jaillngs and demands for an early return to civilian rule. The carrot is to stave off calls for sanctions and for the exclusion of Nigeria from some Commonwealth meetings.

A conference on Investment in Nigeria has Just been held In London, for which the British government hosted a reception. Nigerian democrats are deeply disappointed at British failure to be tough with Abacha. Prime Minister John Major has talked to Abacha on the tele-

phone, perhaps roughly, but publicly comment is muted.

The British see the key players on Nigeria in Auckland as South Africa and Zimbabwe. President Nelson Mandela is attending his first Commonwealth summit and Britain has been encouraging him and President Robert Mugabe not to give the Nigerians too rough a ride.

Britain is taking greater interest in the Commonwealth as an organisation than for a couple of decades and the 1997 summit is likely to be in Edinburgh — the first time Britain has offered to host CHOGM for 20 years.

British foreign policy now Is to look again beyond Europe. This shift is a nod to right-wing critics of the European Union and follows the realisation that several Commonwealth countries in Asia are becoming key markets.

For years Britain was out of tune with the Commonwealth because of differences over how to deal with apartheid South Africa. With that chapter over. Britain hopes for a better rapport which will enable It to increase its influence in the organisation.

That may not be so easy. At Auckland it also wants to head off attacks on France over nuclear testing. Australia. New Zealand and the rest of the Pacific Commonwealth are angry with Britain for its failure to condemn the Pacific tests.

To defuse this anger and to avoid being put in the dock In Auckland. Britain has persuaded France and the United States to agree to endorse a nuclear-free zone in the Pacific under the 1985 Treaty of Raratonga after the French have completed their current series of tests at Mu-ruroa Atoll.

The British will push for as mild a paragraph on testing as possible In the Commonwealth communique. But the French are to hold more tests, and most leaders In Auckland want everything possible done to stop them. The British are said to have urged France to delay their next test until CHOGM Is over

Perhaps to placate CHOGM. the French now say they will carry out only four more tests instead of the six more planned. New Zealand says even one more teat is unacceptable.

At the Cyprus CHOGM, the leaders "urged all nuclear weapons states to refrain from teating" pending conclusion of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty At the 1991 summit, the communique merely said most " heads of government called for a per manent halt to testing. Britain was not among "the most.

The Pacific states want much tougher words this time from Auckland, where the chairman is Prime Minister James Bolger of New Zealand. — GEMINI NEWS

DEREK INGRAM Is cover Ing Ms 14 th Commonwealth summit He was Editor of Gemini News Service for 28 years and is now Consultant Editor