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Liberian President Wants Peacekeeping Forces to Arrive Before He'll Step Down
Aired July 04, 2003 - 13:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, ANCHOR: We'll turn now to war-torn Liberia, where President Charles Taylor has agreed to step down once an international peacekeeping force is in that country. He is under intense White House pressure to give up power. And a Liberian government source tells CNN Taylor had even been given a 48-hour ultimatum.
Joining me now by phone from the Liberian capital of Monrovia, CNN Jeff Koinange.
Jeff, what's the latest?
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Taylor did give one condition. He says the peacekeepers have to be on the ground before he leaves and he insisted that the only way peace can be restored in the streets of Monrovia, is if peacekeepers are on the ground.
He says if Taylor leaves, there will be a power vacuum. He says there are too many guns in the hands of too many people and the militia will turn on the innocent local population and they will loot and rape and burn and the whole city will be on fire. He says he doesn't want that to happen to his country. He doesn't want to go into asylum, into exile and leave a country that's burning.
I did ask him about that question of exile, because it came up, that the government of Nigeria had offered him asylum. He said asylum is such a harsh word. He said, "I prefer to call it a landing."
So all but confirming he's in negotiations with the government. In fact, he went on to say, Nigeria's president, Olusegun Obasanjo, will be here in the capital of Monrovia on Sunday to discuss that option further.
So a lot of fast developments happening even as we speak, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jeff, you talk about the chaos that the president says could happen there, but you already can see the humanitarian crisis that's taking place. Did you talk to him about the civil war? Have you talked to him about these accusations of war crimes being alleged against him and how does he respond to you?
KOINANGE: Absolutely, I asked him every time I see him, and he insists, he says that war crimes indictment against him has to be dropped before he leaves, as well, because, he says, if he steps down and he becomes citizen Taylor, he is subject to arrest anywhere at any time. He says he needs that indictment dropped.
The humanitarian crisis is getting more and more deplorable by the hour here. You can imagine, there are 100,000 displaced Liberians who have streamed into the city of Monrovia from the countryside, seeking food, shelter, running water, anything you can imagine.
And you know there are very few, if any, aid workers left. The aid workers left because the security situation is so dire.
However, with peacekeepers coming, hopefully, then aid workers will return and restore some semblance of order. Until that happens, I tell you the situation is getting worse and worse -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jeff Koinange -- we'll continue to stay on top of this story -- on the phone with us from Liberia, after speaking exclusively with the president of Liberia, Charles Taylor.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Before He'll Step Down>
Aired July 4, 2003 - 13:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, ANCHOR: We'll turn now to war-torn Liberia, where President Charles Taylor has agreed to step down once an international peacekeeping force is in that country. He is under intense White House pressure to give up power. And a Liberian government source tells CNN Taylor had even been given a 48-hour ultimatum.
Joining me now by phone from the Liberian capital of Monrovia, CNN Jeff Koinange.
Jeff, what's the latest?
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Taylor did give one condition. He says the peacekeepers have to be on the ground before he leaves and he insisted that the only way peace can be restored in the streets of Monrovia, is if peacekeepers are on the ground.
He says if Taylor leaves, there will be a power vacuum. He says there are too many guns in the hands of too many people and the militia will turn on the innocent local population and they will loot and rape and burn and the whole city will be on fire. He says he doesn't want that to happen to his country. He doesn't want to go into asylum, into exile and leave a country that's burning.
I did ask him about that question of exile, because it came up, that the government of Nigeria had offered him asylum. He said asylum is such a harsh word. He said, "I prefer to call it a landing."
So all but confirming he's in negotiations with the government. In fact, he went on to say, Nigeria's president, Olusegun Obasanjo, will be here in the capital of Monrovia on Sunday to discuss that option further.
So a lot of fast developments happening even as we speak, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jeff, you talk about the chaos that the president says could happen there, but you already can see the humanitarian crisis that's taking place. Did you talk to him about the civil war? Have you talked to him about these accusations of war crimes being alleged against him and how does he respond to you?
KOINANGE: Absolutely, I asked him every time I see him, and he insists, he says that war crimes indictment against him has to be dropped before he leaves, as well, because, he says, if he steps down and he becomes citizen Taylor, he is subject to arrest anywhere at any time. He says he needs that indictment dropped.
The humanitarian crisis is getting more and more deplorable by the hour here. You can imagine, there are 100,000 displaced Liberians who have streamed into the city of Monrovia from the countryside, seeking food, shelter, running water, anything you can imagine.
And you know there are very few, if any, aid workers left. The aid workers left because the security situation is so dire.
However, with peacekeepers coming, hopefully, then aid workers will return and restore some semblance of order. Until that happens, I tell you the situation is getting worse and worse -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jeff Koinange -- we'll continue to stay on top of this story -- on the phone with us from Liberia, after speaking exclusively with the president of Liberia, Charles Taylor.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Before He'll Step Down>
