UK commits warships to Sierra Leone

Robin Cook thanks the leaders of the task force aboard HMS Ocean off the coast of Sierra Leone

Two British warships are to remain behind in Sierra Leone after the bulk of the troops leave next week.

During a visit to the west African country, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said the frigate, HMS Argyll, and a support vessel, Sir Percivale, would be easily seen by the people of Freetown and serve as a symbol of reassurance.

He said they would be "visible, clear evidence of Britain's commitment."

The ships would be visible, clear evidence of Britain's commitment

Robin Cook MP, Foreign Secretary

Mr Cook added that a team of about 200 soldiers would remain to train the Sierra Leone arrmy.

The foreign secretary told President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah the ships and trrops would stay on as part of Britain's long-term support for the war-torn country.

The assurance came during talks at the heavily-guarded State House in Freetown.

Last month, Britain sent a naval taskforce and more than 1,000 troops to Sierra Leone to support government and United Nations forces against rebels who control much of the interior.

People in Freetown have been organising a petition to ask the British to stay.

Reinforced

Mr Cook explained to President Kabbah that Britain had a three-point plan to help Sierra Leone. First to repel the rebels, then restore the peace process and then rebuild the country.

Soldiers who are staying arrive in Sierra Leone

After the meeting, President Kabbah said he agreed with the strategy and thought the pull-out of the majority of British troops was logical, sensible and reasonable. He said the UN forces would now be reinforced to make them effective.

But the hundreds of Royal Marines guarding the international airport at Lungi and parts of the capital Freetown would be pulled out on schedule next week.

He said: "British troops are withdrawing on schedule because they have carried out their objective which was to make sure that British nationals could get out safely and also that the UN forces could get in and get deployed.

"We are by far the largest donor in supporting the peace process."

Rehabilitated

He said: "There is going to be a very much hands-on involvement. We want to see this job through."

During his visit, Mr Cook went on to visit some of the victims of Sierra Leone's brutal conflict. He saw some of the children who had had limbs amputated by the rebels, and some of the former child soldiers who are being rehabilitated.

A child victim of the rebels waits to meet Robin Cook

Mr Cook said British officers would remain in key advisory roles after the withdrawal and 180 soldiers will fly to Sierra Leone to put 1,000 army recruits through a six-week training course.

A British-led military team would carry out longer term training of Sierra Leonean troops.

Mr Cook also wants an international embargo on rebel diamond sales. The UK hopes to secure a UN resolution banning the sale of all gems except through Freetown under Government control.

Most rebel diamonds go through neighbouring Liberia, and a senior Foreign Office official suggested World Bank and EU assistance could be made conditional on Liberia distancing itself from the rebels.

Mr Cook plans to consult with the United States and European Union on ways of achieving this.

A British soldier makes a new friend in Freetown

Britain will put a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Thursday proposing the diamond embargo, closing loopholes in an arms embargo and raising the maximum number of UN peacekeepers in Sierra Leone to 16,500.

Mr Cook said he would also press for rebel leader Foday Sankoh, currently under arrest, to be "brought to justice".

Violent clashes

Serious clashes are continuing in parts of the country and gunfire was reported near pro-government militia leader Johnny Paul Koroma's house in Freetown on Wednesday evening.

On Wednesday, Sierra Leone Government forces retook control of the strategic town of Lunsar, a military spokesman said.

Lunsar - on the road to the rebel stronghold of Makeni and the eastern diamond fields - is the first rebel town to fall to the government.