Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MONROVIA540
2009-07-24 10:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:  

UNSC LIBERIA SANCTIONS COMMITTEE: INFO REPSONSE

Tags:  EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER UNSC LI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMV #0540 2051052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241052Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1187
INFO RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0161
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0177
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 3492
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1625
UNCLAS MONROVIA 000540 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER UNSC LI
SUBJECT: UNSC LIBERIA SANCTIONS COMMITTEE: INFO REPSONSE

REF: STATE 67910

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000540

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIN ETTC KTFN PREL PTER UNSC LI
SUBJECT: UNSC LIBERIA SANCTIONS COMMITTEE: INFO REPSONSE

REF: STATE 67910


1. In response to our request, the MFA provided the following
information on Martin George:

Name: Martin O. N. George
Date of Birth: August 3, 1947
Place of Birth: Buchanan, Grand Bassa County
Passport No.: Not available
Parents: Rev. Coker A. J. George, Sr. (Deceased)
Mrs. Etta Russell (Deceased)
Present Residence: Paynesville, Liberia
Present Business: N. C. Trading & Investment Holding Co.
(Garbage Removal Service for the City of Monrovia); Mining 49 Carey
Street (Second Floor) Monrovia, Liberia
Phone Number: (231) (0)6-520-313


2. Post provides the following public information on Edwin Snowe:

Snowe is presently a Representative Liberian National Legislature
representing Montserrado County, District 5. Snowe won his seat in
the 2005 election as an Independent candidate. He previously served
as Chairman of the Youth Wing of The National Patriotic Party (NPP),
the party established by Charles Taylor.

Snowe married the daughter of former President Charles Taylor, Zoe
Louise Taylor, in Monrovia in 1999 and they have one daughter.
Snowe divorced Taylor's daughter in 2002 and married Mardea White in

2003. Snowe's marriage to Mardea White is estranged.

Snowe was Speaker of the House of Representatives from January 2006
until March 2007 when he was forced by most of his colleagues to
resign. One of the stated reasons for his ouster was that he had
unilaterally tried to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan
after the Government of Liberia had established diplomatic relations
with the People's Republic of China in 2003.

Snowe was accused of corruption after more than USD 100,000 went
missing when he served as Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum
Refining Company (LPRC) in the National Transitional Government of
Liberia (NTGL),2003 - 2005. He was taken to court along with
former NTGL Chairman Charles Gyude Bryant and two others. All were
acquitted by the criminal court in April 2009.

Despite his election as an independent candidate during the 2005
election, Snowe still maintains close ties with the NPP and has
publicly declared that he is still a member of that party. He is
also said to still be in regular contact with former President
Taylor. According to their most recent midterm report, the Panel of
Experts confirmed that Snowe was one of "seven designated
individuals (who) have been in contact by telephone with former
Liberian President Charles Taylor since his incarceration."
(S/2009/290, pg. 3)

Snowe was also named in the Truth and Reconciliation Final Report as
one of those who committed economic crimes in Liberia during the
civil crisis. He is one of four members of the National Legislature
on the UN Travel Ban List.

THOMAS-GREENFIELD