Excerpts from the Press Briefing August 4, 2003

These developments are a clear sign that the international community is committed to bringing relief to the people of Liberia, and to helping them resolve the many problems they face. Liberians are not alone in this time of extreme distress. The United States, as you know, is working very closely with ECOWAS, with the Economic Community of West African States, to ensure the success of this mission including provision of logistical and financial assistance.

We certainly want to applaud the decision taken last Friday, August 1st, by the United Nations Security Council when they passed UN Security Council Resolution 1497 to authorize this multinational effort and to plan for establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping force that will take over from the multinational force in a few months.

For humanitarian assistance to arrive quickly, we would remind all combatants, especially the military forces of the Government of Liberia, and the LURD and the MODEL rebel groups that they must stop fighting and restore and respect the ceasefire. Liberians should cooperate with international peacekeepers and humanitarian relief workers.

In terms of President Charles Taylor, we note that President Taylor said publicly on August 2nd that he will step down from his office on August 11th. The resignation and departure from Liberia of President Charles Taylor is essential to restoring peace in Liberia.

QUESTION: So if he doesn't leave?

MR. REEKER: Well, we believe -- he said he is going to leave, and that's what we want to see happen.

QUESTION: But I thought there was a distinction between whether he would step down and leave the country, or simply step down.

MR. REEKER: I have seen a variety of reports from his people. But our view is that he needs to do what he said he would do is step down and leave the country. He must fulfill his commitment to step down and to leave Liberia.

QUESTION: And is the U.S. talking with him directly? Is the Ambassador in touch with President Taylor? How is that working?

MR. REEKER: I don't know if there have been direct conversations with President Taylor or through his government and our embassy on the ground. Frankly, I don't know, but we have certainly been keeping in touch with all of the parties. We are in contact with the parties to the dispute whose representatives are based in Accra, in Ghana, and in Monrovia, and we continue to press them to reach an agreement and the ceasefire, the things that I mentioned, to allow for the timely introduction of the full ECOWAS force into Monrovia and allow the humanitarian assistance to begin addressing the very pressing needs of the Liberian people.

Teri, and then we'll come back to Matt. Yes.

QUESTION: We have discussed before whether he should still have to stand trial for war crimes indictments. But now one of the things that he said is that he would step down if the indictments are removed.

MR. REEKER: Again, I have seen a variety of things coming out of people purported to be speaking for him. As I said, we believe that Charles Taylor must fulfill his commitment to step down and to depart the country. Once he departs, as we have said in the past, he will have to address and answer the indictment against him.

QUESTION: So that means that you reject the idea that those would be removed before he has to leave?

MR. REEKER: I think once he steps down he will have to address that and answer that. As Ambassador Boucher has told you a number of times, that is something he needs to discuss and deal with with the court, with a special court in Sierra Leone.

QUESTION: But I am talking about a potential different -- potentially different chronology. You would not -- the United States would not agree that he -- that any indictments could be removed before he steps down, if we are not talking about after he steps down.

MR. REEKER: It is not a question for us to agree to. That is something for the court. We are not asking for the indictment to be rescinded. What we are saying is he needs to step down. He needs to leave the country. And, as we have said before, the indictment is something he is going to have to address and answer.

Matt.

QUESTION: I have one on that. You don't particularly care where he goes, do you? Obviously, Nigeria has made the offer, and that looks like where he is going to go, but that -- you don't care where?

MR. REEKER: That offer has been publicly discussed by the Nigerians. I don't think --

QUESTION: Yes. Does the United States have a position at all?

MR. REEKER: We think he needs to leave the country and --

QUESTION: To go anywhere?

MR. REEKER: -- not be a part of -- I don't know that to go anywhere is the answer, but he needs to --

QUESTION: Or perhaps you would like to see him go straight to Sierra Leone?

MR. REEKER: No. I think we will just leave it where it is.

QUESTION: All right. And, secondly, Ambassador Blaney said this morning that he understood that the LURD had agreed to your guys' plan, the withdrawal to beyond the Poe River. Is that still your understanding, realizing that things change very quickly there?

MR. REEKER: Exactly, so I wouldn't want to try to, you know, parse it. That is what we had asked for, that is what we had said needed to happen, that made the best sense. The overall goal that we have is what I have stated already, and that is that all of the participants cease this type of warfare, frankly, that is going on, cease the violence, stop fighting, restore and respect the ceasefire so that the ECOWAS force can move in and, very importantly, so that the humanitarian efforts can begin to take hold and help the Liberian people.

Adi.

QUESTION: In terms of the U.S. assistance, the $10 million that was provided to the private contractor, did they -- did those private -- did that private company provide any support for this initial force of 300-or-so Nigerian troops?

MR. REEKER: No, I think if you look at the question we posted after the briefing on -- I believe on Thursday afternoon -- during the first two weeks, what's envisioned, the first part of this, the United Nations is providing logistic support for the vanguard force such as what moved in today.

After the first two weeks, our contractors, the Pacific Architects and Engineering -- or Engineers, PAE, they will begin to be phased in to provide the broad range of logistical support for the whole ECOWAS presence.

Yes. More on?

QUESTION: Another Liberia.

MR. REEKER: Liberia, yes, go ahead.

QUESTION: Is there concern, once President Taylor is out of the picture, is there a viable alternative to Taylor that the U.S. sees? Is there concern about a power vacuum?

MR. REEKER: Well, I think what we want to see, first of all, is a peaceful transfer of power. That's what has been discussed in Accra, in Ghana, with representatives of all of the parties. And there was a plan put forward for that transition some time ago. That also included the ceasefire. That's what we want to see happen. And those talks continue there, even, I believe, today.

So we will continue to, you know, monitor that very closely and be a part of that, as the neighboring countries also have been, in terms of having a great interest in seeing that all parties will live up to the plan they come up to for appropriate power-sharing agreements under -- and a peaceful transition of power in Liberia.

QUESTION: So there is really nothing viable yet? It's still a process?

MR. REEKER: I don't want to try to characterize levels of viability. I think they had a plan. That plan included a ceasefire. We talked about it some time ago. But it takes all of the parties' willingness to participate and to respect the ceasefire. And that is what we will continue to focus on in our discussions, both in Accra, in Monrovia, and any other cities in the region where we're able to discuss with representatives of the various political groups involved the next steps in a political situation.

Yes.

Anything else on Liberia?

Yes, Joel.

QUESTION: Question. As Charles Taylor leaves anyway, did ECOWAS in any way talk about the remnants of his particular government, those people that are not --

MR. REEKER: I think that falls under your colleague's question in terms of the transition of --

QUESTION: Right, but for judicial type trials or anything beyond what's --

MR. REEKER: Well, if you are looking at the special court in Sierra Leone, I suggest you talk to the special court in Sierra Leone on any other indictments that they may be issuing or planning to issue. That would be something for the court to determine.