Liberia's embattled president Mr Charles Taylor resurrected a broken pledge to leave office - but only after an international peacekeeping force was deployed in the war-ravaged west African nation.
With his capital surrounded by rebels and the United States and others calling on him give up power, Mr Taylor said: "Before I transit, I think it is important that peacekeepers be present."
Mr Taylor said he hoped US troops would be among any force sent to stabilise the country - founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves and launched into near-perpetual conflict in 1989 by Mr Taylor, a former warlord and indicted war criminal.
"I welcome and will embrace the presence of American troops in Liberia. I think it will be essential for stability," said Mr Taylor, who has made and broken other pledges during 14 years of warmaking.
"I don't understand why the United States government would insist that I be absent before its soldiers arrive."
In the United States, officials said President George Bush was dispatching a team of military experts to Africa to assess whether sending US troops to Liberia would help bring stability to the country.
They stressed Mr Bush has not yet made any decision on possible troop deployment.
United Nations secretary general Mr Kofi Annan, as well as France and Britain have all called for a peacekeeping force, preferably led by the United States.
The 15-nation Economic Community of West African States yesterday pledged 3,000 troops for an intervention force, but renewed calls that it be led by US soldiers.
Mr Bush said American officials were discussing the make-up of a peacekeeping force with ECOWAS.