Liberia: No extradition request

2006-03-14 09:23

Monrovia - The Liberian government on Monday denied it had sent a formal extradition request for former strongman Charles Taylor to Nigeria, but said there had been recent talks on the matter between President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo.

Information minister Johnny McClain said: "The Liberian government confirms the existence of summary notes recording the conclusions from discussions held between President Sirleaf and President Obasanjo... during the Liberian leader's recent visit to Abuja."

He said the notes were to be used for reference by Obasanjo during his consultation with other African leaders about Taylor's fate.

Liberian affair

McClain said: "The intent of the written document is to provide the basis for President Obasanjo to proceed with consultations with the chairman of the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) respectively.

"The Charles Taylor issue is not a Liberian affair and regional leaders are working together to discuss this matter and it is beyond the jurisdiction of Liberia."

At the weekend, McClain rejected claims by Taylor's close associates that Liberia had requested the former warlord's extradition to face trial at the international war crimes court in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

He said: "I challenge those who claim to have the letter allegedly written to the Nigerian leader by the Liberian government on this issue to publish it."

1990s civil conflict

The United Nations-backed Special Court in Sierra Leone had indicted Taylor on charges of sponsoring rebels who waged a gruesome war in that country's 1990s civil conflict.

McClain said Liberia and Nigeria "are determined and committed to arrive at a solution during these consultations that will be acceptable to the international community and the UN, and at the same time guarantee the rights of Mr Taylor under international law".

Obasanjo on Monday briefed his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki on talks concerning the fate of Taylor who was exiled in Nigeria.

In August 2003, Obasanjo and Mbeki played an active role in persuading Taylor to step down and accept asylum in Nigeria in a bid to end his country's 14-year-old civil war.

Obasanjo had in recent months increasingly came under pressure to hand him over to face war crimes charges.

- AFP