Liberia foes sign deal to end three years of war
The accord calls for a two-year power-sharing government, meant to lead Liberia into elections and out of 14 years of conflict brought on by Taylor.
The two rebel movements Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia signed, along with representatives of Liberia's post-Taylor government.
Under the deal, all three waive any claim on the top posts in the interim government.
The peace talks , sidelined by repeated violations of a June 17 ceasefire reached in Ghana, saw a breakthrough on Sunday when the leading rebel movement dropped its demand for one of the top posts in the interim government. Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy had sought the vice-chairmanship. West African mediators had threatened to suspend talks for a month unless the rebels yielded on that point.
"We want to prove to the entire world that this whole thing is not about LURD wanting power," said George Dweh, a leader of the rebel delegation.
Both sides have kept their AK-47s, grenades and rocket-launchers, although most of the armed insurgents have pulled out. The UN envoy for Liberia, Jacques Klein, on Sunday announced the United Nations would donate $50 million to help demobilise fighters and restore water and electricity, both knocked out by Liberia's 1989-1996 civil war and never repaired under Taylor.
