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Security Council has Approved a Resolution Authorizing a Peacekeeping Force for Liberia
Aired August 02, 2003 - 07:04 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution authorizing a peacekeeping force to go into Liberia. The force, made up of Nigerian troops, was supposed to arrive last week but will now arrive Monday as part of the U.N.'s action.
The resolution will also allow for United Nations peacekeeping force and a possible U.N. stabilization force to stay in Liberia through new elections and transitions.
Hours before the U.N. vote, West African officials flew to Monrovia to speak with President Taylor but found that he had left the capital.
Jeff Koinange joins us now from Monrovia by the phone with the very latest on the situation there. Hello to you, Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (by phone): Hello there, Heidi.
And we are standing out by the executive mansion here in Monrovia. That's President Taylor's official office. And he actually arrived here about five minutes ago, went straight up to his office, didn't say a word to us who were standing there.
And he's expecting this economic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) West African (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ECOWA (ph) delegation to arrive any moment now to greet him.
Basically, what they're going to tell him is, peacekeepers will be coming in two days' time, and three days later, he has to step down and leave office and possibly leave the country. They were determined to do that yesterday. The ministers thought there would be here for a couple of hours. It turned out that they had to spend the night. They're here to do their job, they say, and then after that, they're going to leave, go back and report to their respective countries.
Meanwhile, sporadic fighting overnight in Monrovia. We could hear mortar shells falling, and we could also hear sporadic small arms fire. So that is still going on. Rebel forces and government forces are determined to fight until the peacekeepers are physically on the ground, Heidi.
COLLINS: Jeff, we know that President Taylor was in Buchanan, where some of this new fighting is going on. Is it safe to say that he is actually trying to avoid the inevitable, the inevitable that he will soon be forced to leave that country?
KOINANGE: You know, that's what some were saying, Heidi. They were saying this is typical Taylor, up to his old tricks again. He's delaying it as much as he can. But someone else also told me that he's going to meet them in his own time. They're not going to set the agenda for him. He's that kind of leader, he said. He said he's going to meet them when he's ready.
It looks like he may be ready sometime this morning. We are waiting for him right here in the executive mansion, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Jeff Koinange, live from Monrovia on the phone this morning. Thanks so much, Jeff.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Peacekeeping Force for Liberia>
Aired August 2, 2003 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The United Nations Security Council has approved a resolution authorizing a peacekeeping force to go into Liberia. The force, made up of Nigerian troops, was supposed to arrive last week but will now arrive Monday as part of the U.N.'s action.
The resolution will also allow for United Nations peacekeeping force and a possible U.N. stabilization force to stay in Liberia through new elections and transitions.
Hours before the U.N. vote, West African officials flew to Monrovia to speak with President Taylor but found that he had left the capital.
Jeff Koinange joins us now from Monrovia by the phone with the very latest on the situation there. Hello to you, Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (by phone): Hello there, Heidi.
And we are standing out by the executive mansion here in Monrovia. That's President Taylor's official office. And he actually arrived here about five minutes ago, went straight up to his office, didn't say a word to us who were standing there.
And he's expecting this economic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) West African (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ECOWA (ph) delegation to arrive any moment now to greet him.
Basically, what they're going to tell him is, peacekeepers will be coming in two days' time, and three days later, he has to step down and leave office and possibly leave the country. They were determined to do that yesterday. The ministers thought there would be here for a couple of hours. It turned out that they had to spend the night. They're here to do their job, they say, and then after that, they're going to leave, go back and report to their respective countries.
Meanwhile, sporadic fighting overnight in Monrovia. We could hear mortar shells falling, and we could also hear sporadic small arms fire. So that is still going on. Rebel forces and government forces are determined to fight until the peacekeepers are physically on the ground, Heidi.
COLLINS: Jeff, we know that President Taylor was in Buchanan, where some of this new fighting is going on. Is it safe to say that he is actually trying to avoid the inevitable, the inevitable that he will soon be forced to leave that country?
KOINANGE: You know, that's what some were saying, Heidi. They were saying this is typical Taylor, up to his old tricks again. He's delaying it as much as he can. But someone else also told me that he's going to meet them in his own time. They're not going to set the agenda for him. He's that kind of leader, he said. He said he's going to meet them when he's ready.
It looks like he may be ready sometime this morning. We are waiting for him right here in the executive mansion, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Jeff Koinange, live from Monrovia on the phone this morning. Thanks so much, Jeff.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Peacekeeping Force for Liberia>
