Military

DATE=7/07/03

TYPE=INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

TITLE=LIBERIA

NUMBER=3-722

BYLINE=PURCHIA

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

INTERNET=

VOICED AT:

U.S. Military Enters Liberia to Help Quell Civil Strife

INTRODUCTION

A team of American military experts has arrived in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, to assess the situation in the war-torn country, ahead of a possible deployment of U.S. peacekeepers. This comes one day after Liberian President Charles Taylor said he would resign. Brian Purchia has more.

NARRATOR

As the team touched down at the heavily fortified U.S. embassy compound in Monrovia, U.S. Marines set up security. The team will visit hospitals and meet with aid experts to determine the extent of the humanitarian crisis in Monrovia, says the United States ambassador to Liberia, John Blaney.

JOHN BLANEY, UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO LIBERIA

"We'll be taking the team around to see various places where displaced persons and refugees are, and what their needs are, and what their situation is."

NARRATOR

Fighting last month killed hundreds of civilians and displaced tens of thousands of others inside the capital. Liberian President Charles Taylor has welcomed U.S. involvement in the country.

CHARLES TAYLOR, PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA

"We believe that the participation of the United States, right now, is crucial in whatever way. We embrace it, we accept it, we invite the United States to come full force and assist in this process in bringing peace back to Liberia."

NARRATOR

On Sunday, President Taylor accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria, but said his departure from Liberia must be "orderly," to prevent chaos and disruption. He made the announcement, after meeting, with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The Liberian leader gave no timetable for when he would step down. He has said he would not leave until U.S. peacekeepers are deployed in the country.

President Bush, who leaves Washington for a tour of Africa late Monday, has repeatedly called on Mr. Taylor to resign and leave Liberia immediately. Mr. Bush has not yet decided whether to send U.S. troops to Liberia.

Brian Purchia VOA-TV