Bush Official's Remark May Hurt Peace Talks

A remark by a senior Bush administration official following a speech at Harvard last week may have complicated the peace process in Liberia's ongoing civil war.

Following last week's Harvard Africa Seminar, Herman Cohen, U.S. assistant secretary for African affairs, made a controversial comment to a reporter from the British Broadcasting Corporation new.

The comment, in an interview with BBC correspondent Isaac Bantu, questioned the United States' commitment to supporting the West African military coalition in Liberia.

In the interview, Cohen said that the coalition which was sent into Liberia as a neutral party in the conflict is no longer neutral.

"[The coalition] came in as a neutral party, hoping to bring about a mediation. But they're now one of the combatants," said Cohen, according to the New York Times.

According to The Times, Charles Taylor, leader of the rebel forces in Liberia that are battling the coalition, has maintained that the coalition is not neutral in the conflict.

By giving credence to Taylor's claims, Cohen's comments may com- plicate efforts to bring peace because U.S.policy supports the West African coalition as aneutral mediator.

The Times reported that the BBC interviewedCohen again on Thursday, and Cohen said that U.S.policy had not changed. Cohen said he must havemade a mistake when he said that the peace keepingforce is not neutral.

Rita M. Breen, executive officer of the HarvardCommittee on African Studies which sponsors theseminar series, said in an interview yesterdaythat the speech prior to the controversialinterview conformed to U.S. state departmentpolicy.

Bantu, the BBC reporter and a Harvard NiemanFellow last year, said yesterday that thecontroversial statement came from his interview,and not during Cohen's speech at the seminar,which focused on America's role in Africa. TheHarvard seminar included a short speech by Cohenand a lengthy question and answer session.

Bantu, who is from Liberia, said that he askedCohen specific questions about the Liberian civilwar for the BBC.

Bantu said that during the interview, he askedCohen if he supported a resolution to send UnitedNations forces into Liberia with the West Africancoalition.

Cohen said that the coalition "is no longer aneutral force," Bantu said.

Bantu's interview was aired into LiberiaTuesday by the BBC on a program entitled AfricaService, according to The Times

The Times reported that the BBC interviewedCohen again on Thursday, and Cohen said that U.S.policy had not changed. Cohen said he must havemade a mistake when he said that the peace keepingforce is not neutral.

Rita M. Breen, executive officer of the HarvardCommittee on African Studies which sponsors theseminar series, said in an interview yesterdaythat the speech prior to the controversialinterview conformed to U.S. state departmentpolicy.

Bantu, the BBC reporter and a Harvard NiemanFellow last year, said yesterday that thecontroversial statement came from his interview,and not during Cohen's speech at the seminar,which focused on America's role in Africa. TheHarvard seminar included a short speech by Cohenand a lengthy question and answer session.

Bantu, who is from Liberia, said that he askedCohen specific questions about the Liberian civilwar for the BBC.

Bantu said that during the interview, he askedCohen if he supported a resolution to send UnitedNations forces into Liberia with the West Africancoalition.

Cohen said that the coalition "is no longer aneutral force," Bantu said.

Bantu's interview was aired into LiberiaTuesday by the BBC on a program entitled AfricaService, according to The Times