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Liberian Rebel Group Agrees to Hand Over Control of Ports
Aired August 12, 2003 - 13:18 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, CNN ANCHOR: The commander of the U.S. warships just off the Liberian coast came ashore today. Details on that and more from Liberia. Gaven Morris is reporting for us -- Gaven.
GAVEN MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hello. I can tell you that there's been some recent news from the commander, General Thomas Turner, his name is. And he's been in negotiations this afternoon with The LURD rebel group, along with the U.S. ambassador, John Blaney, and the west African troops.
Now the significant development is this: The LURD rebels for the first time have agreed to give up the key Monrovia ports at noon on Thursday. This is the thing everybody has been waiting for. It's the thing everybody has been asking for because the LURD have had that port under their control for the last few weeks. And that's meant that no goods have been able to come in to Monrovia, no essential items like food and fuel and medicine. So that opening of the port Thursday is a crucial thing.
And the negotiations have been going on today for several hours. But for several days, they have been trying to clinch this deal, the U.S. And it now seem the deal has been done. The port will be reopened after the LURD rebels give up control at noon on Thursday.
Just a couple of other quick developments for you. Today, there's been renewed fighting on the other edge of Monrovia, towards the second city Buchanan. A different rebel group, the Model rebels, have been advancing towards the Monrovia Airport there and there's been fighting along the way, many people fleeing that area in fear of danger.
So that's a serious development, because the security situation up until now, up until the departure of Charles Taylor had held pretty firm.
PHILLIPS: Gaven Morris live from Monrovia, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 12, 2003 - 13:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The commander of the U.S. warships just off the Liberian coast came ashore today. Details on that and more from Liberia. Gaven Morris is reporting for us -- Gaven.
GAVEN MORRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hello. I can tell you that there's been some recent news from the commander, General Thomas Turner, his name is. And he's been in negotiations this afternoon with The LURD rebel group, along with the U.S. ambassador, John Blaney, and the west African troops.
Now the significant development is this: The LURD rebels for the first time have agreed to give up the key Monrovia ports at noon on Thursday. This is the thing everybody has been waiting for. It's the thing everybody has been asking for because the LURD have had that port under their control for the last few weeks. And that's meant that no goods have been able to come in to Monrovia, no essential items like food and fuel and medicine. So that opening of the port Thursday is a crucial thing.
And the negotiations have been going on today for several hours. But for several days, they have been trying to clinch this deal, the U.S. And it now seem the deal has been done. The port will be reopened after the LURD rebels give up control at noon on Thursday.
Just a couple of other quick developments for you. Today, there's been renewed fighting on the other edge of Monrovia, towards the second city Buchanan. A different rebel group, the Model rebels, have been advancing towards the Monrovia Airport there and there's been fighting along the way, many people fleeing that area in fear of danger.
So that's a serious development, because the security situation up until now, up until the departure of Charles Taylor had held pretty firm.
PHILLIPS: Gaven Morris live from Monrovia, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
