Talk:Requirements for entry into the Commonwealth of Nations
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[edit] Prospective members
I have two qualms with the 'Prospective members' section as it is:
- Whilst the original purpose of this article was to list countries that could qualify under the first Edinburgh criteria (that is, having constitutional links to another Commonwealth member), I think it ill-advised to treat it as though that were the only requirement. Many (if not most) of the existing countries that qualify under Edinburgh would fail miserably under Harare, making a mockery of the idea that these countries all qualify. The disclaimer must be given greater weight, although I struggle to see how that would be executed without incorporating the change into the section title or adopting the inherently POV practice of individually assessing each country's Harare credentials.
- Although I initiated the expansion of the list, I have now reconsidered. Fundamentally, the criteria are assessed by the CHOGM, which rules on whether the constitutional links meet the standard required. Yes, Tangiers (1661-1684) and Tortuga (1631-35) were briefly British in the seventeenth centuries, but I doubt that such qualifications would have any bearing on the CHOGM's decision today. Even periods of possession of Minorca (1714-83) and Weihaiwei (1898-1930) would have trouble persuading any reasonable person that Spain and PR China belong in the Commonwealth. Thus, the measure should be interpretated as the CHOGM would: direct constitutional predecession or personal union. Under that definition, Libya, Senegal, and France would still qualify, but Haiti, Greece, and Honduras wouldn't.
Any approval or amendment of either point would be appreciated. Bastin 18:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
