INTRO: U-S EVACUATION FLIGHTS WHICH HAVE FERRIED ABOUT 18-HUNDRED PEOPLE INCLUDING 300 AMERICANS TO SAFETY FROM VIOLENCE IN THE WEST AFRICAN COUNTRY OF LIBERIA HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED FOR NOW. V-O-A’S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE US AMBASSADOR SAYS THE EMBASSY IN MONROVIA WILL REMAIN OPEN AND BE ACTIVE IN THE SEARCH FOR PEACE:

TEXT: AFTER NEARLY A WEEK OF EVACUATION FLIGHTS, THE UNITED STATES HAS SUSPENDED EVACUATIONS FOR THE TIME BEING. PENTAGON SPOKESMAN, LT. COL. ROGER KAPLAN, SAYS ALL AMERICANS AND FOREIGN NATIONALS IN LIBERIA WHO WANT TO LEAVE HAVE DONE SO:

/// KAPLAN ACTUALITY ///

THERE ARE NO REQUESTS CURRENT FOR AIR FLIGHTS. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION IS FLUID. AS THE NEED ARISES, IF ADDITIONAL EVACUEES REPORT TO THE EMBASSY, THEN THE AMBASSADOR MAKES A DETERMINATION AS TO HOW MANY AND WHEN WE CAN LAUNCH SORTIES (FLIGHTS) TO RESCUE THESE PEOPLE.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

LT. COL. KAPLAN SAYS AN AMPHIBIOUS MARINE UNIT CONTINUES TO STEAM TOWARDS THE COUNTRY AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO OFFER WHAT HE CALLS “FLEXIBILITY” IN THE EVACUATION PROCESS.

AMBASSADOR WILLIAM MILAM SAYS, DESPITE THE CHAOS, THE EMBASSY PLANS TO REMAIN OPEN:

/// MILAM ACTUALITY ///

WE HAVE NO PLANS TO PULL OUT OF HERE. THIS EMBASSY PLANS TO STAY HERE AS FAR AS I KNOW AND WE INTEND TO BE ACTIVE IN THE PEACE PROCESS.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

HOWEVER, ALL NON-ESSENTIAL EMBASSY STAFF ARE TO LEAVE MONDAY.

THE LATEST FIGHTING FLARED MORE THAN A WEEK AGO WHEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS TRIED TO ARREST A DEPOSED FACTION LEADER. LIBERIA’S SIX-YEAR CIVIL WAR HAS CLAIMED MORE THAN 150-THOUSAND LIVES. (SIGNED).

NEB/VB/LWM

14-Apr-96 9:58 PM EDT (0158 UTC) NNNN

Source: Voice of America .