§ Mr. ColmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department has given to the Liberian peace talks and the Bamako Talks. [110745]
§ Mr. RammellThrough the International Contact Group on Liberia, the UN and the EU, we are working to facilitate the peace process in Liberia and to encourage all sides to enter into ceasefire negotiations. We welcome the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Inter-religious Council of Liberia to promote reconciliation in Liberia.
Initial peace talks between the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) and the Liberian Government took place in Freetown under the auspices of ECOWAS in early February. These were not followed up in Bamako as had been planned.