Liberian vice-president has died

The death has been announced in Liberia of the vice-president, Enoch Dogolea.

He was forty-eight.

He died in a hospital in Ivory Coast, where he was taken last week after suffering a stroke.

Announcing the death, President Taylor said there would be a full autopsy, but did not explain why.

A BBC correspondent in Monrovia says there'd been rumours about Mr Dogolea's health before he fell ill.

Mr Dogolea fought alongside President Taylor during the seven year civil war and became vice president when Mr Taylor won power in the 1997 multi-party elections.

Under the Liberian constitution, President Taylor has the right to choose a successor.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service