Liberian rebels leaving peace talks

Liberia’s main rebel group are walking out of peace talks, accusing the top mediator of letting President Charles Taylor slip out of a pledge to give up power.

The Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (Lurd) denounced Mohamed Ibn Chambas as a “spokesman” for Taylor.

Chambas is executive secretary of the west African bloc mediating the negotiations, which are being held in neighbouring Ghana.

The talks are aimed at ending a three year insurgency that saw the Liberian capital Monrovia under siege by the rebels this month.

Lurd was angry about an interview with Chambas in which they say he appeared to back away from insisting Taylor cede power under a June 17 ceasefire accord.

Chambas said Taylor’s exclusion from a transitional government under the accord was only a “subject of future debate,” the rebels said – adding that it was a “key demand” and a “material condition” of the pact.

“We have taken a decision to stay away from all proceedings of the ongoing discussions until we can get a satisfactory assurance that no attempt will be made to circumvent the signed ceasefire agreement,” Lurd said.

While the Liberian government signed the June 17 accord, Taylor last week said talk of him giving up power was only a proposal – and one he intended not to follow.

He said he would stay in office until his term ends in January, and would then yield power only to a government led by his vice president, Moses Blah.

The Western-educated former warlord has been indicted by a United Nations-backed war crimes tribunal, which accused him of the “greatest responsibility” in a 10 year guerrilla terror campaign in neighbouring Sierra Leone.