WRAP Taylor hands over power (satellite quality)

(11 Aug 2003)

Monrovia airport, Monrovia, 11 August 2003:
1. Plane taxiing on tarmac of Monrovia airport
2. Outgoing president Charles Taylor putting on sunglasses
3. South African military vehicle securing parameter of airport
4. South African president Thabo Mbeki walking with Taylor and military on tarmac
5. Charles Taylor and President of Ghana John Kufuor and Mozambique's president Joaquim Chissano getting into vehicle
7. Cutaway of Fourth Commander and peace talk co-ordinator for Liberia in white uniform
8. Arrival of Togolese Prime Minister Koffi Sama
9. Cutaway of Nigerian soldiers guarding aircraft
10. Various of South African soldiers
10. Cutaway of Liberian flag

Executive Mansion, Monrovia, 11 August 2003:
11. Press waiting for dignitaries to arrive
12. Dignitaries arriving
13. Press attending presser
14. Mid shot of Charles Taylor praying
15. Wide of ceremony (choir sound)
16. Choir singing
17. Wide of President of Mozambique Joaquim Chissano speaking
18. Cutaway of Moses Blah, Liberian Vice President to be sworn in
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Mozambique's President Joaquim Chissano:
"President Charles Taylor made me believe that he is leaving with the hope that the people of Liberia will know how to reconcile and rebuild the country"
20. Close up of Liberian Vice President Moses Blah clapping
21. Cutaway of Charles Taylor and Moses Blah
22. Close up of Taylor looking distressed
23. Cutaway of press
24. Wideshot of Thabo Mbeki speaking
25. SOUNDBITE (English) Thabo Mbeki, South African President:
"South Africa will contribute troops to the UN forces in Liberia."
26. Moses Blah and Charles Taylor clapping


STORYLINE:

President Charles Taylor shook hands with his designated successor Moses Blah on Monday as his long-promised resignation ceremony started in Liberia's shell-blasted capital, attended by African leaders who declared his departure marks the end of an era of bloodshed.

Addressing about 300 Liberian and other dignitaries gathered in a velvet-draped room, Ghana's President John Kufuor said Blah would hand over to a transitional government on the second Tuesday of October.

"Today's ceremony marks the end of an era in Liberia," Kufuor said, speaking as head of a West African bloc that has sent peacekeepers to Liberia. "It is our expectation that today the war in Liberia has ended."

He also said South Africa would be contributing troops to the West African force, which started deploying last week.
"It is indeed a shameful thing that as Africans we have killed ourselves for such a long time," said Mbeki, who received a standing ovation. "It is indeed time that this war should come to an end."

Taylor, in a white safari suit and holding his trademark staff, arrived hours late for the ceremony at his Executive Mansion, heavily guarded by Nigerian and South African forces.

Blah waited for him with Liberian and regional officials dressed in their best in a stiflingly hot room, with no electricity to power fans or air conditioning. The two leaders then stood to attention in front of gilded thrones for the national anthem.

Outside, Monrovia's beleaguered people cheered the Nigerian peacekeepers part of a vanguard peace force meant to build to 3,250 West African soldiers - but reserved celebrations over the former warlord's resignation until it
was official.

Taylor had pledged to hand over power at one minute before noon, but was delayed at the airport where he welcomed South African President Thabo Mbeki, Ghana's President John Kufuor, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and Togolese Prime Minister Koffi Sama.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...