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To Have Sanctions Lifted: Govt Must Have Control, Security Council Delegation
Says

The NEWS (Monrovia)
NEWS
June 25, 2004
Posted to the web June 25, 2004

By Stanley Mcgill
Monrovia
Although the visiting United Nations Security Council delegation says the
economic argument for the lifting of sanctions on Liberia is clear, the
sanctions would not be lifted until the Government can establish sufficient
control over its economic resources.
The 15-man Security Council delegation made this known Thursday upon arrival at
the James Spriggs Payne Airstrip in Monrovia.
Sir Emyr Jones Parry, United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the United
Nations and head of the delegation, indicated that the United Nations is not
against lifting of sanctions on Liberia, but what is important is that when
these assets are released they must be used for the general welfare of the
Liberian people, and not just few individuals.
The Transitional Government had requested the Security Council to have the
sanctions on timber and diamond export lifted to broaden its revenue base and
ease the social economic hardship on Liberians.
But the Security Council's delegation emphasized that before the sanctions are
lifted, Government must be able to have complete control over all of its
territories in terms of civil administration and revenue collection.
Ambassador Parry, flanked by the Special Representative in Liberia of the UN
Secretary General, Jacques Paul Klein, said what is important now is to
encourage the Government to satisfy conditions that are required by the
Security Council for the lifting of the sanctions.
It is for this reason that the delegation is in Liberia to meet with
stakeholders to see progress made thus far in the peace process, the British
Permanent Representative at the UN said.
Since the seating of the National Transitional Government on October 14, 2003,
it has not extended its civil authority outside of the capital of Monrovia due
to security problem.
Civil administration put in place by the former regime of Charles Taylor is
still in place.
In addition to this, former warring factions had appointed their own
administrators in some of these territories.
The Transitional Government is yet to pronounce new appointments or retention
of County Superintendents and other local authority.
Recently, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) declared several
counties including Nimba, Bong, Montserrado, Bomi, Grand Bassa and Grand Cape
Mount as areas that civil authority can now be extended, but the Government is
yet to move in most of these areas.
Meanwhile, the Security Council's delegation has said that the UN was going
through constraints with the increase of conflicts on the Continent and other
parts of the world.
The head of delegation, Ambassador Parry, said at the moment, the UN has more
than 50,000 peacekeepers around the world, and it is estimated that it may
increase to 70,000 in the next six months.
He said the UN had been working on the Liberian case, and that much money was
being spent in the country.
He lauded the work of Ambassador Klein, and noted that he has no doubt in the
ability of the SRSG because he has done well in Cambodia and other countries
around the globe and he could do it in Liberia.

   

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