Embattled Liberian President Charles Taylor said he was offended he had to learn of US President George Bush’s demands that he step down through television reports, instead of directly from the White House.
Bush has made Taylor’s leaving office a precondition for any possible US deployment of peacekeeping troops to this war-torn west African nation founded over a century ago as a haven for freed US slaves, and Taylor has repeatedly promised to go.
”I have not had the opportunity … of speaking to a single person in the Bush administration whatsoever,” Taylor said in a telephone interview from the Liberian capital. ”The only way I have had any contact with the Bush government has been through CNN.”
Taylor, who has accepted an offer of sanctuary from Nigeria, said he wrote Bush a letter outlining preconditions to his departure.
”I have written him a letter outlining to him certain things that are necessary for me to step down and certain things that are necessary for me to leave the country,” said Taylor.
He would not elaborate on what those preconditions were.
As Taylor spoke, sporadic fighting continued late into the night on Monday in the capital — the only part of the country he still controls any part of.
Monday was the bloodiest day in three rebel attempts to take the city in the past two months, with over 90 dead and many more injured.
Taylor said direct contact with the White House would facilitate his eventual departure.
The former warlord also repeated his call for a promised west African peacekeeping force to arrive quickly. ”(It) could bring some sanity,” said Taylor.
But Taylor said the best way to ensure stability was through US troops on the ground helping enforce a future peace.
”An American contingent would be excellent,” he said.
”American troops in Liberia would have no problem,” Taylor said, trying to assuage fears in Washington of involvement in Africa after the bungling of Somalia.
Taylor was elected president in Liberia in 1997 after waging eight years of civil war — a conflict that spread into neighbouring Sierra Leone. He has been indicted by a war crimes court in Sierra Leone for backing that country’s brutal rebels, known for amputating limbs and even lips from their victims, raping women, and forcing doped-up children into battle.
Taylor dismissed the charges against him.
”This whole indictment issue was designed as a pressure mechanism to help to push me out of office and chase me out of the country. I intend to fight it as much as I can,” Taylor said.
For now, Taylor said he was putting his faith in God.
”God is in control. Whatever God has for me, it will come.” – Sapa-AP