Delegates, under West African and international mediation and U.S. pressure, have been meeting since early June to try to end fighting in Liberia's 3-year-old civil war which threatens to overrun the capital, Monrovia.
Taylor, a leader in 14 years of intermittent conflict in Liberia, has signed deals before, only to break them. West African mediators also have been noted for overplaying possible progress.
Taylor announced as recently as June 4 he would step down, but never carried through.
Refugee George Williams called on the international community, "especially America" to help.
Many of Africa's nation-states, however, are immature ? with fewer than 50 years of independence, and are still sorting themselves out within colonially drawn borders.
Many were abruptly dumped by Eastern or Western blocs when the end of the Cold War killed the market for satellite states.
In Liberia, Congo, and elsewhere, the Cold War contests set the stage for today's.
In Liberia, the CIA (news - web sites) in the 1980s made the American-founded country its staging ground for anti-Libya activities. Liberia became Africa's largest per capita recipient of U.S. aid.
Libya countered by backing the overthrow of Liberia's U.S.-supported government, training and arming the guerrilla leader who launched Liberia into war in 1989: Charles Taylor.
Taylor, a leader in 14 years of intermittent conflict in Liberia, has signed deals before, only to break them. West African mediators also have been noted for overplaying possible progress.
Taylor announced as recently as June 4 he would step down, but never carried through.
Refugee George Williams called on the international community, "especially America" to help.
Many of Africa's nation-states, however, are immature ? with fewer than 50 years of independence, and are still sorting themselves out within colonially drawn borders.
Many were abruptly dumped by Eastern or Western blocs when the end of the Cold War killed the market for satellite states.
In Liberia, Congo, and elsewhere, the Cold War contests set the stage for today's.
In Liberia, the CIA (news - web sites) in the 1980s made the American-founded country its staging ground for anti-Libya activities. Liberia became Africa's largest per capita recipient of U.S. aid.
Libya countered by backing the overthrow of Liberia's U.S.-supported government, training and arming the guerrilla leader who launched Liberia into war in 1989: Charles Taylor.