Liberia (Hansard, 15 July 2003)

§ Norman Lamb
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Liberia. [125299]

§ Mr. Mullin
There is a lull in the fighting in Liberia. On 10 July, the Joint Verification Team, comprising the UN, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and all sides in the conflict, began to verify and monitor the cease-fire. We continue to encourage all parties to respect the cease-fire and participate actively in the peace talks taking place in Ghana. The talks should lead to a negotiated political settlement and transitional government.
The security and humanitarian situation is of serious concern. There are reports of 250,000 displaced civilians in Monrovia alone. Fuel, water and medical supplies are in short supply and looting is rife. A cholera outbreak has already killed more than 300 people. The UK has committed £2.5 million for humanitarian activity in Liberia this year, including £1.5 million as a response to the latest fighting.

§ Norman Lamb
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to send British military personnel to Liberia. [125300]

§ Mr. Mullin
There are no plans to send UK troops to Liberia at present.

§ Norman Lamb
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assesssment he has made of the effect of the exit from power of President Charles Taylor on the stability of Liberia. [125301]

§ Mr. Mullin
President Taylor has been a destabilising influence in Liberia and the region. The UK does not see a political future for him in Liberia. We hope that he will stand down as he has promised to do. The cease-fire agreement, signed in Ghana on 17 June, included provision for the formation of a transitional government, not including President Taylor. Peace talks currently taking place in Ghana aim to agree a political roadmap, leading to free and fair elections.
On 4 June 2003 the Special Court for Sierra Leone unsealed an indictment for President Charles Taylor of Liberia as one of those who bear the greatest responsibility for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sierra Leone since 1996.
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The UK has called on Charles Taylor to surrender himself to the Court and continues to encourage all states, particularly those in the region, to cooperate with the Court and facilitate his arrest.

§ Norman Lamb
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with(a) the US Administration and (b) the Liberian Government concerning (i) the situation in Liberia and (ii) the possible deployment of a peacekeeping force. [125302]

§ Mr. Mullin
We have ongoing discussions with the US Administration at all levels concerning all aspects of the situation in Liberia, including the possible deployment of a peacekeeping force.
There have been no discussions on the specifics of troop deployment with the Government of Liberia. However, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met Samuel P Jackson, Minister of State for Financial and Economic Affairs in the Office of the President of Liberia, to discuss the current situation on 26 and 27 June.