KENYA: US. Secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice arrives in Kenya to push crisis talks

Record ID: 361157

  • Title: KENYA: US. Secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice arrives in Kenya to push crisis talks
  • Date: 18th February 2008
  • Summary: (BN10) NAIROBI, KENYA (FEBRUARY 18, 2008) (AGENCY POOL) WIDE VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM AS RICE WALKS TOWARDS PODIUM WITH CHIEF MEDIATOR KOFI ANNAN CAMERAMAN RECORDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SAYING: "There needs to be a governance arrangement that will allow real power-sharing, that will allow a coalition - indeed
  • Embargoed: 4th March 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4N6FSZNVABIZXK6W2IJMY1GFY
  • Story Text: Condoleezza Rice, sent to Kenya by President George W. Bush, is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the country since a December 27 vote triggered ethnic clashes that killed 1,000 people.
    U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Kenya on Monday (February 18) to push talks to end the post-election crisis. She can expect a lukewarm welcome from the government, bristling at Western pressure for a quick deal.
    Rice is expected to bolster efforts by former U.N. boss Kofi Annan to mediate a lasting political solution to one of the darkest chapters in Kenya's post-independence history after post-election violence left more than 1,000 people dead and over 300,000 citizens displaced.

    "There needs to be a governance arrangement that will allow real power-sharing, that will allow a coalition - indeed a grand coalition - so that Kenya can be governed. The election was a difficult, difficult circumstance for the people of Kenya," Rice told a news conference in Nairobi.

    "The United States supports the efforts that Kofi Annan is engaged in here to help the Kenyan leadership to find a way out of the crisis and stalemate in which it finds itself because first and foremost the Kenyan people expect more of their leaders. They expect their leaders to be able to overcome their differences, they expect to have a government that can return to the business of governing. They expect a stable and economically prosperous Kenya and, in fact, not only do the Kenyan people expect that but the continent has come to expect that of Kenya and so has the international community," Rice added.
    Although Annan reported considerable progress in last week's talks - including agreement on an independent review of the disputed poll - most Kenyans want a breakthrough on the contentious "grand coalition"
    idea he has advocated.
    Government officials have said the only power-sharing being considered is giving opposition members top jobs in ministries in Kibaki's half-filled cabinet.
    A White House spokeswoman has said Rice does not expect to come away with a final deal, nor would she offer incentives to encourage the feuding sides to strike a pact.

    "The international community is engaged. They are engaged because of their friendship for Kenya and they are here because of their solidarity with the Kenyan people and we are all working together to ensure that we get the right results," Annan said, standing beside Rice at the news conference.
    Rice is expected to meet Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and his opposition rival, Raila Odinga later in the day.
    Mediation talks between the rival parties are due to resume on Tuesday (February 19).
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