Liberian President Taylor to Step Down Monday: Report

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, August 07, 2003

Liberian President Taylor to Step Down Monday: Report

Liberian President Charles Taylor confirmed on Thursday that he will step down on Monday and hand over power to Vice President Moses Blah, CNN reported.

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Liberian President Charles Taylor confirmed on Thursday he will step down next Monday (Aug. 11), according to reports from Monrovia.

Presidential spokesman Vanii Passewe was quoted as saying that President Taylor would not address the emergency parliament session but underlined that he would hand over power on Monday, as promised to west African mediators seeking to end 14 years of civil war in the west African country.

Hundreds of Nigerian peacekeepers began patrolling the war-riven Monrovia on Thursday for the first time since their arrival at the Robertsfield International Airport, east of the Liberian capital on Monday.

The Nigerian soldiers, commanded by Brigadier-General Festus Okonkwo, are the vanguard of a much larger force being deployed bythe Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It plans to put 3,250 men on the ground.

Nigeria, the strongest powerhouse in West Africa, is the main military to take charge peacekeeping mission in the sub-region.

In addition, Nigeria has also promised to offer asylum to Liberian President Charles Taylor who agreed to step down as peacekeeping force arrives in Liberia.

The civil war in the past 14 years has made Liberia among the most miserable places in the world and the latest unrest since 1998 has forced some 300,000 Liberians to flee to neighboring countries and claimed thousands more lives.

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