ABSTRACT
The Commonwealth is a free association of member states, who accept HM Queen Elizabeth II as the symbol of their association and as the Head of the Commonwealth. It has no contractual obligations or written constitution, but members are expected to accept the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles approved in Singapore in 1971, and a number of later agreements. Members do not conduct formal diplomatic correspondence with one another and exchange High Commissioners not Ambassadors, with the intention of facilitating free exchange of views; meetings of Heads of Government, which take place in different locations every two years, are private and decisions are made by consensus not voting. Meetings are also held regularly at ministerial and official level. All former British colonies in the Caribbean area are members, as are the UK dependencies.
