UK threatens Liberia with sanctions

President Taylor: Under pressure to end support for rebels

By Nick Childs

Britain has warned Liberia that it faces international sanctions unless it stops supporting rebels fighting the government in Sierra Leone.

Britain also told the Monrovia administration to end its involvement in the smuggling of diamonds from rebel-controlled diamond areas in Sierra Leone.

The warning came after talks in London between British Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain and Sierra Leone government spokesman, Professor Septimus Kaikai.

Civilians bear the brunt of the war

Liberia's alleged involvement in the illicit trade is likely to come under scrutiny at a two-day meeting by the UN.

The New York meeting follows a decision by the Security Council to impose an embargo on Sierra Leone's diamond exports.

Burkina Faso warned

Mr Hains's remarks on Liberia come after reports of a stormy meeting this month between President Charles Taylor and visiting US undersecretary of state Thomas Pickering.

The US official apparently warned that Liberia would face unilateral and international sanctions if it doesn't quickly halt its support for the Revolutionary United Front.

Mr Pickering said there was clear intelligence evidence linking Mr Taylor to the rebels - a charge, it seems, the Liberian leader angrily denied.

RUF rebels: Funded by 'blood diamonds' trade

But Mr Hain insisted there was a very clear personal relationship between President Taylor of Liberia and the RUF rebels.

Mr Hain also issued a similar warning to Burkino Faso, saying Britain regarded Burkina Faso's involvement as "totally unacceptable".

Liberating Sierra Leone

Much of the international effort to try to end what Mr Hain described as one of the most bloody and mutilating wars in Africa has focussed on trying to put increasing pressure on Liberia.

Mr Hain said liberating Sierra Leone's diamond areas from RUF control was crucial to ending the conflict, but he would not say how or when this might happen.

Both Mr Hain and the visiting Professor Kaikai, insisted the security situation in the country is improving, although it remains fragile.