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Blah invites rebels into government
Liberia's newly sworn-in president vowed Monday to do all he could to bring peace to Liberia and invited rebels who waged war on his predecessor, Charles Taylor, to join his government.
| "C'mon in. There's plenty for everybody. Except for them, of course..." |
Hours after Taylor ceded the presidency to him, Moses Blah offered to share power with the rebels. He predicted that "within two or three days" he would make progress toward ending the 14-year war that has ripped apart his country.
"I'm inviting the rebels to come and join me round this government," Blah said in an interview with CNN International, adding that he would consider offering the post of vice president to a rebel leader. "I will appeal to them to lay down their arms and come back to Monrovia." Blah, who was Taylor's vice president, said he would follow the tradition of Liberians in which they solve their disputes by meeting in a hut in a village.
| "I gotta idea! Let's have a loya jirga!" |
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-08-11 |
