Bush vows to work with Africans, UN on Liberia

Bush demanded again that Charles Taylor step down as President of Liberia, which has been torn by nearly 14 years of civil war. Taylor said on Sunday he would accept asylum from Nigeria but gave no word on how soon he might go.

Bush’s vow to work with the United Nations contrasted with his decision to bypass the organisation and attack Iraq in March, after failing to win the backing of the UN Security Council for the military action that ousted Saddam Hussein.

Bush’s commitment to Liberia came at a meeting with Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and other West African leaders in Senegal. Bush’s trip had been aimed at highlighting a $15 billion US plan to fight AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean and steps to promote democracy and economic development in Africa.

But the original mission has been overshadowed by the possibility Bush would send US troops to help enforce a ceasefire in Liberia’s 14-year war. A US official said on Monday a decision could come quickly following an assessment by a 20-member US military team which is in Liberia.

In Monrovia, troops loyal to Taylor stopped the US team from reaching a refugee camp. ‘‘Consultations with the government of Liberia resulted in the assurance that there would be no further problems at checkpoints,’’ a US Embassy statement said later. (Reuters)