NIGERIA: GON STILL UNCERTAIN ABOUT TAYLOR'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001355 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/13 TAGS: PREL MASS MOPS PHUM LI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: GON STILL UNCERTAIN ABOUT TAYLOR'S DEPARTURE Classified By Charge Dawn Liberi. Reasons 1.5 (b) AND (d). ¶1. (C) During an August 7 conversation with A/DCM, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs expressed concern that Charles Taylor may try to renege on his implied promise to leave Liberia on August 11. The Minister realized that Taylor had only expressly stated that he would step down on that date but everyone was working to an August 11 departing as well. ¶2. (C) A/DCM advised that the GON should send an emissary to Monrovia to confer with Liberian Minister of State Jonathan Taylor to begin actual logistical preparations for Taylor departure. Minister Samaila then called the Minister for Cooperation and African Integration asking him to seek provision from President Obasanjo to go to Monrovia to undertake this task with Liberian Minister of State. LIBERI