November 2, 1983 Dear Madam Prime Minister: I

---

HE

EX

EC 01

_.%1A.Nlo7s;

I TIVL TEL

ILL..^.11

ST

01

\-11,

L.:13.LELIA

2, 1983

November

Dear Madam

time,

for the first

your

been

over

generous,

to note the years

the economic,

of friendship

I do

between

of Liberia.

and the Republic

It is heartening

Excellency

in our country.

conditions

of the long history

country

your

affecting

on matters

and political

so because

to write

opportunity

this

I take

social

Minister:

Prime

that

your

has

government

assistance

in providing

to our government. proceeded

As we have our country,

in our task

experienced

we have

to two major

due principally

of reconstructing

severe

economic

setbacks

factors:

The general decline in price and demand export commodities, for our principal and recession, caused by the worldwide The debt burden we inherited which amounted to nearly a billion dollars at the time we came to power. of the

much

Therefore, endeavoured

to obtain,

leadership,

have

on loans which

gone

date

since toward

scarce

the encumbency the payment

as far as 1943.

Margaret Thatcher Her Excellency of Great Britain Prime Minister 10 Downing Street KINGDOM. London, UNITED

resources

we have of our

of interest

E OFFK

F FUI

ThE H EA I) OF STA1E

MW,ROVIA.

LIBERIA

2

A careful loans

survey

obtained

1943-1980. to donor

indicate

countries

these

loans

have

them

each

payment

also

some of the loans begin

seek

cancel

At the same

some time,

up in private

of Liberians

to

and how

funds

obtaining situation

of having and we will

to donor

countries

long-standing convinced

acquired

commitments.

that

for national

accounts,

with

no benefits. affecting

a large develop-

the majority

This

our

to

has been

country

an

in the

few years. I am bringing

this

the hope

you will

standing

that

of the great

and to ask you your

team

obtained

completed

to grants

we feel

ment

with

loans

the possibility

of these

of the

last

'financial

a technical

has been

appeal

percentage

unfortunate

our indebtedness

dollars.

of the

converted

a systematic

ended

between

utilized.

We shall

also

of Liberia

establishing

examine

whether

of the

that

one billion

We are currently

determine

of most

and international

exceed

to carefully

made

by the government

Records

institutions

has been

government

situation

problems

to use your examine

develop

good

to your

attention

an indepth

our nation offices

our commitment

under-

is facing

in having to it.

/ / /3

MU.

LC 1-'1

V L

LAN!-

ION

3 We hope government through

will

after

help

such

relieve

any of the above

cancellation

Excellency

because

ship between enterprise

thought

us of some

to present

of our

system

I am taking of a document

your

of the burden

conditions,whether

of loans

to grants.

this

issue

firm belief

our two countries

to your

in the friend-

and in the free

of government

persistently

outstanding

an examination

mentioned

or conversion

We have

have

that

which

our

two nations

pursued. the liberty

giving loans

you

to forward

an idea

for the period

you

of some

a copy

of our

covering

the

Minister,

the

last

20 years. Please assurances

accept,

Madam

of my highest

Prime esteem

and very

personal

regards. Cordia

you s,

CIC e . oe HEAD OF T E AND CHA RMAN, PEOPLE'S R DEMPTION OUNCIL