"This is still something that we're working on very actively within the administration, as well as with the West Africans," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters.

He said Washington was going to continue working with members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and will consult with them during a meeting with the commander of the ECOWAS forces set in Freetown, Sierra Leone, for Thursday.

"The United States will be there," Boucher said. "The UN will be there as well, which is important for coordination in terms of what's going on in West Africa."

He said the administration of President George W. Bush was pressuring the warring parties in Liberia to stop the fighting and wanted neighboring countries not to allow supplies into Liberia.

ECOWAS Executive Secretary Mohamed ibn Chambas said in Dakar Wednesday that West African leaders had decided to send 1,300 Nigerian troops to Liberia.

A deployment date is to be chosen next week.

WAR.WIRE