Landmark Liberian talks due

Charles Taylor is behind much regional instability say critics

Liberian President Charles Taylor is set to leave Monrovia on Tuesday for Ghana ahead of the first high level face-to-face meeting between his government and rebel movements fighting to overthrow him.

Former Nigerian military ruler, Abdulsalami Abubakar, is already in Ghana to broker the landmark talks after five years of fighting.

The rebel Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd) and the recently emerged Movement for Democracy in Liberia (Model) now hold about half of the country.

The talks are due to begin after a formal opening ceremony in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, on Wednesday and will take place in the nearby towns of Akosombo and Akuse.

President Taylor is blamed for many of the recent West African conflicts and the United Nations has imposed sanctions on his regime.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on all sides to "find a compromise" saying "accommodation and flexibility are the only way to lasting peace".

Ceremony

He came to power himself in 1997 after a bloody seven year insurgency. Fighting then resumed in 1999.

Also expected at the ceremony on Wednesday are Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, as well as US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Walter Kansteiner.

Heads of state from neighbouring countries of Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone - that have all been affected by regional instability are also expected.

On Monday "a go-slow" action was held in the Liberian capital, with many businesses and schools obeying the call and remaining closed for the day.

Civil Society Movement of Liberia President Saah Philip Joe told the BBC's Network Africa they took the action to put pressure on rebels and President Taylor to agree a ceasefire and find a lasting solution to the conflict.

"First and foremost, we want an unconditional ceasefire. After that we want the politicians to get together and make sure we have a system that will be free of problems," he said.