UN stalls decision on Liberia troops

Forces loyal to President Charles Taylor repelled the rebels

The United Nations Security Council has adjourned its emergency debate on the conflict in Liberia without a decision on whether to send an international force to monitor the ceasefire.

Members agreed to follow developments closely and reconvene next week to continue to discuss the situation.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had called for the urgent deployment of a multinational force to protect Liberian civilians from clashes between government troops and rebels.

Meanwhile a plane carrying 12 tonnes of badly-needed medicine and medical equipment has arrived in the war-torn Liberian capital, Monrovia, aid agencies say.

The supplies will be used to perform urgent surgical operations, which were delayed due to fierce fighting in the capital, International Committee of the Red Cross spokesman Jordi Vivak told BBC News Online.

Monrovia was reported to be calm on Monday with some residents starting to return to their homes.

We're determined to help the people of Liberia find a path to peace

Richard Boucher
US State Development spokesman

West African leaders and Mr Annan have urged the US to lead a peacekeeping force to Liberia in order to avoid a "major humanitarian tragedy".

Liberia was founded by freed US slaves and the population also looks to the US for help.

The BBC's UN correspondent Greg Barrow said Security Council members echoed Mr Annan's concerns, but they felt a need to allow negotiators from Ecowas, the Economic Community of West African States, more time to bolster the ceasefire agreed earlier this month in Ghana.

Council diplomats also said they would prefer to await the return of a UNSC mission currently touring West Africa before resuming discussions about the possible deployment of an international force.

Our correspondent said that mission gets back to New York at the weekend, so unless there was a dramatic escalation in fighting in the coming days the Council was unlikely to return to discuss Liberia until next week at the earliest.

Cholera threat

The United States itself had made no commitment to helping Liberia.

Aid worker's diary

Q&A: Liberia's conflict

Pictures from Monrovia

"We've been looking more broadly at the overall situation to see what contribution we could make and how we might help work with others to calm that," said state department spokesman Richard Boucher.

"We're determined to help the people of Liberia find a path to peace."

The consignment of medical supplies will benefit about 400 patients who have been waiting for surgery in the JFK hospital, the largest hospital in Liberia.

The hospital has a team of two surgeons, two anaesthetists and some nurses who work round the clock treating about 20-30 operations a day.

Meanwhile, cholera is threatening the health of the 200 000 displaced residents who have taken refuge in schools, stadium, public buildings and diplomatic compounds in Monrovia.

As the fighting has stopped, people have started to leave the Samuel K Doe sports stadium, where up to 25,000 had sought shelter during last week's rebel advance on Monrovia.

Rebels declared a truce last week after they were repelled from the Liberian capital, Monrovia, by forces loyal to President Charles Taylor, although previous ceasefires have failed to hold.