Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, has decided to boycott talks about his country's suspension from the Commonwealth, apparently because he objected to the tone of his invitation.

Mr Mugabe had, until the last minute, been expected to attend Monday's meeting in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to review Zimbabwe's response to its exclusion from the organisation.

But in a phone call to the Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr Mugabe said he objected to the invitation letter from Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

"Mugabe said the invitation gave the impression that he was going to be court-martialled in Abuja," a Nigerian official told Reuters news agency.

The BBC's Dan Issacs in Abuja says the boycott is a major blow to the Commonwealth.

Sanctions review

Zimbabwe was suspended from the Commonwealth in March, following Mr Mugabe's disputed re-election, and the Abuja meeting was to review what measures he had taken to avoid further sanctions.

Commonwealth officials say Mr Mugabe had been prepared for talks on land reform, but was not prepared to be lectured on political reform and human rights.

Mugabe supporters have been evicting white farmers

The meeting will go ahead despite Mr Mugabe's absence and will be chaired by Mr Obasanjo and attended by Mr Howard and the South African President, Thabo Mbeki.

Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon is also due to be present.

The Commonwealth panel aims to bring pressure to bear on Zimbabwe over the disputed election and the policy of violently evicting white farmers as part of Mr Mugabe's land redistribution programme.

Possible measures include the extension of the one-year suspension from the Commonwealth or even expulsion.