UN lobbies for Liberia force

Thousands have fled the fighting

The United Nations is holding talks with West African leaders in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on the possibility of sending a peacekeeping force to war-ravaged Liberia.

A UN Security Council delegation led by British ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock is meeting the regional body Ecowas and the Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Pressure is mounting on the United States, which has strong historical ties to Liberia, to lead a multinational force in the country.

In recent weeks, tens of thousands of refugees have fled fighting between government and rebel forces in and around the Liberian capital, Monrovia.

The BBC's Dan Isaacs, in Abuja, says the key point at issue now is when can a peacekeeping force be sent to Liberia - and what structure will it take?

He adds that Nigeria, the regional military giant, will play a crucial role in deciding what should be done.

'Robust force'

Ecowas Secretary General, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, has expressed his strong preference for the US to take the lead.

West Africa could provide most of the troops, he said, but an international partner was needed to lead the force, along the lines of the British intervention in Sierra Leone or the French mission to Ivory Coast.

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"We need to see the United States at this point rise to this occasion," Dr Chambas said ahead of the meeting.

"There has to be a robust force going in to separate the two sides.

"The humanitarian situation on the ground is just deplorable."

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin have both joined the calls for intervention by a multinational force.

Liberian President Charles Taylor has himself asked the US to intervene, despite a call by US President George W Bush for him to step down.

Washington has so far shown no willingness to lead an international peace force in Liberia.

Looting

In the Liberial capital, the relative calm of recent days following a unilateral ceasefire by rebels is being broken by armed looters.

Members of the government militias, who do not receive regular payment for their services, are behind much of the looting.

Some aid operations are being hampered because vital equipment and supplies have been stolen.

The BBC's Paul Welsh, in Monrovia, says there are occasional bursts of gunfire as looters fire into the air or use their weapons to break open locks and doors.

He adds that militiamen are now being paid to guard property from other militiamen, leading to the sight of night watchmen armed with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles.

Up to 300 people are reported to have been killed and 1,000 injured during two days of mortar fire into the heart of the city last week.

The main rebel group, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd), who are demanding the removal of President Taylor, declared a unilateral ceasefire on Friday to avoid a "grotesque humanitarian catastrophe".