The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday urged the Security Council to make early decision on UN peacekeeping mission in Liberia in view of the worsening situation in the country.

In a letter to the Security Council, Annan said he is "deeply concerned" at the dramatic deterioration of the situation on the ground following renewed fighting in the capital city of Monrovia. "Subject to guidance by the Security Council, it is my intention to proceed immediately with the necessary preparations for the envisaged United Nations operation in Liberia," he said.

"It will be important for the Security Council to taken an early decision on the establishment of the envisaged UN mission, in order to facilitate the timely generation of the military personnel required for this phase," he said.

He was referring to an interlocking three-phrase deployment of UN peacekeeping forces, with the quickened deployment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) "vanguard force" as the first phase, and the deployment of full multinational forces the second and the UN peacekeeping operation as the third.

The UN chief noted that it would also be essential for the Security Council to authorize a robust mandate for the envisaged UN peacekeeping force, in order to ensure that it has a credible deterrence capability.

The overall objective of the UN peacekeeping operation would be to support the implementation of the envisaged comprehensive peace agreement, culminating in the holding of free and fair elections, which should be a key, but not the only, benchmark for the gradual drawdown of the mission, he added.

Other specific tasks to be performed by the military component would include assisting the interim government in disarming and demobilizing the armed groups, providing security at key locations and government buildings, including major sea ports and airports, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and protecting civilians facing violence in areas of its immediate deployment.

(Xinhua News Agency July 30, 2003)