"We welcome American troops, Ecowas troops as well as UN troops. All in line with peace." The words of Liberia’s Information Minister, Reginald Goodridge, speaking on Tuesday. His boss, beleaguered Liberian President Charles Taylor, has said he will leave office, once a multinational peacekeeping force is in place in his country. At the just-ended African Union summit in Maputo, Mozambique, the current chairman of Ecowas, Ghana’s President John Agyekum Kufuor, spoke to journalists about the progress being made towards ending the crisis in Liberia:How soon do you envisage the departure of Charles Taylor from Liberia?
As soon as Ecowas puts in the initial force of 1,000-1,500 people. We hope that in a week or so we will be able to send this force.
What kind of transitional government will be formed after President Taylor stands aside?
I repeat that President Taylor’s government is constitutional and Ecowas would not underwrite a coup d’etat. All that is happening is that President Taylor is stepping out of his government and handing over to a successor within his government immediately.
But then, Ecowas — and I believe everybody concerned with Liberia — agrees that there will have to be a transitional government to prepare the country for the election which might take place, hopefully, by the end of next year, after the term of office of the government which may not include President Taylor.
| Looks like Chuck has the idea of stepping out until the heat's off, then stepping back in... |
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