Quiet diplomacy: That's the Commonwealth way

(By Mark Colvin ABC) While you're watching the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony tonight, take a moment to look at the VIP box.

The first guest of honour in New Delhi is Britain's Prince Edward, there representing his mother, the Queen, in her capacity of Head of the Commonwealth.

Nothing unusual about that.

But alongside him in the guest of honour spot will be Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president of Sri Lanka.

The Games are these days the most visible expression of the Commonwealth itself - an organisation which aims to promote democracy, human rights, good governance, the rule of law, individual liberty, egalitarianism, free trade, multilateralism and world peace.

Democracy? President Rajapaksa was re-elected in January in an election in which he used state funds to campaign and ensured that the state-run news media effectively silenced opposition candidates.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/14/3037805.htm?site=thedrum