- Title: KENYA: Kenyan Political rivals adjourn mediation talks
- Date: 15th February 2008
- Summary: KARUA GETTING INTO CAR TO LEAVE AIRPORT CARS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 1st March 2008 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Kenya
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAERZ8FAKKDLO6ASANX5351IAPV
- Story Text: Kenya's feuding political parties adjourned talks for the weekend on Thursday (February 14), dashing chief mediator Kofi Annan's hopes to have a final political settlement this week to the post-election crisis.
But a spokesman for Annan indicated some progress had been made, saying the former U.N. boss would announce details on Friday (February 15) of an agreement signed by both sides.
Annan has led efforts to end turmoil triggered by President Mwai Kibaki's disputed Dec. 27 re-election that has killed at least 1,000 people and uprooted 300,000 more, shattering the the east African nation's peaceful image.
Annan's spokesman Nasser Ega-Musa said the Ghanaian diplomat would outline what was agreed in 48 hours of discussions at this week's negotiations at a luxury resort in a remote safari park, including the text of the agreement signed between the parties. The talks will resume on Monday morning in Nairobi.
"Optimism is not the same as reality. We are progressing, that's all I can say," Justice Minister Martha Karua, the top government negotiator, upon returning to Nairobi from the talks.
"I am not going to enter into discussing anything to do with the talks other to say that we are making progress and we have not reached agreement," she added.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga accuses Kibaki's team of rigging the vote, while Kibaki says he won fairly.
Officials for neither side would comment on the latest developments but a source from one party, who asked not to be identified, said the talks ended in acrimony and the negotiators were flying back to the city to consult their bosses.
The trouble has exposed deep rifts over land, power and wealth that date from the British colonial era and have been stoked by some Kenyan politicians ever since.
Karua also commented on a dispute between Kenya's foreign minister and Britain's high commissioner after the envoy said the government did not reflect the democratic will of the people.
"As for the diplomats threatening us, I remind them that we are not a colony and I certainly and I don't think my team will pressure or dictation from any other country. We shall be guided by what is best for Kenyans and what we believe is best - not what somebody else believes,"
Karua said.
Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula said envoy Adam Wood's comments had shown "total disregard" for diplomatic etiquette, and he threatened to take unspecified action if the incident was repeated. A spokeswoman at the British High Commission in Nairobi said Wood was only reiterating the British government's position. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None