US to consider Liberia deployment

Washington is considering to deploy troops in war-torn Liberia

Powell told PBS television late on Monday that the United States was “deeply concerned” about the situation in Liberia.

 

“We are looking at a variety of options and plans”, he said, adding that no decision had been made.

 

Earlier, US State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, said the United States was examining ways to support international efforts to help Liberia “return to peace and the rule of law”.

 

“We’ve been looking more broadly at the overall situation to see what contribution we could make and how we might help work with others to calm that situation”, Boucher said.

 

Liberia was founded in 1847 by African American slaves, who were freed and returned to the continent of their ancestors.

 

Liberia had received special treatment from the United States in the past.

 

The State Department spokesman said Washington cared about the West African state and that it had a “long-standing tie to Liberia”.

 

Boucher said Washington had decided to take a seat on an international commission to monitor a ceasefire accord.

 

The truce was reached between the Liberian government and rebel forces on 17 June in Accra, Ghana, but has since been violated.

 

On Saturday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asked the Security Council to approve an urgent deployment of a multinational force to Liberia.

 

He said the force would aim at preventing a “major humanitarian tragedy”.

 

Two days later, Annan said that there were lots of expectations that the United states would lead the force.

 

“That is a sovereign decision for them to take, but all eyes are on them”, he told reporters.