Kenyan crisis talks continue as east Africa steps up diplomacy

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

NAIROBI (AFP) — Kenya's political rivals pushed ahead with crunch talks, backed by the UN Security Council, to end weeks of bloodshed as east African foreign ministers arrived for a meeting Thursday to shore up peace efforts.

During talks led by former UN chief Kofi Annan, negotiators for President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga tackled core issues Wednesday in their dispute over December presidential elections.

The UN Security Council expressed strong backing for the mediation led by Annan to end the ethnic violence in Kenya and urged the country's rival leaders to foster reconciliation.

The 15-member body unanimously adopted a non-binding statement expressing "deep concern that, despite the commitments made on February 1, civilians continue...