UN on Liberia: Sanctions stay

2004-10-08 14:46

United Nations - The United Nations Security Council refused to lift diamond and timber sanctions against Liberia on Thursday, but acknowledged progress by the country's interim government to meet the conditions to end the embargoes.

The council called on the government to meet the benchmarks before it conducts a comprehensive review in December.

"While recognising the need to lift the diamond and timber sanctions as soon as possible, and acknowledging the progress made so far, the members of the council concluded that the conditions for lifting were yet to be fully met," a council statement said.

The conditions include the formal implementation of an international diamond certification system aimed at combatting diamond smuggling.

Country needs the revenue

The council emphasised that "the continuation of sanctions was not punitive, but only meant to consolidate the peace."

Liberia's interim leader Gyude Bryant has appealed to the council to lift sanctions on the two major exports, saying his government desperately needed revenues from timber and diamond sales to maintain peace.

But the council rejected his appeal in June - and again on Thursday.

The Security Council approved arms and diamond embargoes and a travel ban in May 2001 after determining that former president Charles Taylor's government had helped rebels in Sierra Leone fight the government there. A new ban on the timber trade took effect in July 2003.

Taylor fled into exile in August 2003, paving the way for Bryant's transitional government which is expected to arrange elections for late 2005 and cede power to a representative government in early 2006.

The council reviewed the sanctions after a briefing by Pakistan's UN Ambassador Munir Akram, who heads the council committee monitoring the embargoes.

Members noted "with satisfaction" that no major violations of the arms embargo and diamond and timber sanctions had been reported since its last review in June - which means there have been no major violations since Taylor fled.

Lifting sanctions

Akram said the government must formally become part of the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, which is the diamond industry's response to growing world concern about so-called "blood diamonds" that have fuelled deadly wars in Congo, Liberia, Angola and Sierra Leone.

The council said there had been less progress in the timber sector and encouraged Liberia to make greater efforts to meet the council's conditions to lift sanctions by establishing full authority and control over timber producing areas, and ensuring that revenues from the industry are properly utilised.

"We have all agreed that it's not time yet to lift sanctions on Liberia," said United States deputy ambassador Stuart Holliday. "It's been a little progress, but the timber area remains of concern."

- AP