Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has called on the Government of the United States of America (USA) for the existing ties between Liberia and the USA to be institutionalized, Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs of the Ministry of Information Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), Robert Kpadeh, has disclosed.

Relationship between Liberia and the United States of America can be traced far back to the cold war era, when Liberia among others served as a close ally to the allied forces of which the USA was an important part. The Cold War (often dated 1947-1991) was a sustained state of political and military tension between the powers of the Western world, led by the United States.

Making the disclosure regarding the President's call to the US Government at the Thursday, June 14, 2012 edition of the MICAT regular weekly press briefing, Deputy Minister Kpadeh stated that President Johnson- Sirleaf, on her recent ten-day official visit to the USA, made a strong case with the US Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for an institutionalized relationship between the two countries.

Said Deputy Minister Kpadeh: "We do have a historic relationship with America, but President Johnson- Sirleaf this time wants that relationship to be more institutionalized."

Deputy Minister Kpadeh, who accompanied the Liberian leader on her ten-day official visit to the USA, added that during discussion in the USA, President Johnson-Sirleaf made it known to members of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs that said relations should even extend beyond her tenure as Head of State of Liberia.

He disclosed that US Senate Committee Chair on Foreign Affairs, Senator John Kerry and members of his Committee assured the Liberian leader that efforts to institutionalize the US-Liberia relations was a positive move, adding that Senator Kerry and his Committee promised to lead the effort aimed at ensuring that the institutionalization of US-Liberia relationship is officially signed and operational.