U.S Officials Meet With Kenya President And Opposition

Mwai Kibaki

The Assistant Secretary in the State Dept., Ms Jendayi Fraser, returned to kenya thursday to continue talks with the Kenya President, Mr Mwai Kibaki, and members of the opposition led by Mr Raila Odinga.

 

Fraser who cut short her trip to the Comoros Island, is expected to continue talks with both flanks which she started earlier this week before travelling to the Island

 

Kibaki and Odinga have been at daggers drawn over that country's presidential elections which the Odinga side of the divide believe was rigged. The face-off threw up wild violence that left hundreds dead on both sides.

 

State Dept. spokesman, Sean McCormack, who made this disclosure thursday in Washington said " she is going to continue the same sort of diplomacy thats she's been engaged in since she arrived there this week."

advertisement

 

McCormack said further " Jendayi is trying to work with both sides, work with Mr Odinga, President Kibaki on how they might open up that channel of communication, and how they can start exchanging ideas that will resolve this political crisis"

 

McCormack also explained the US' position on Kibaki's move to form a cabinet while negotiating. " She talked to him about it, and how this was perceived . And the perception was that he was trying to put in place a political fait accompli"

 

He said further that " we expressed our displeasure. we were quite dissapointed by the action Jendayi subsequently was able to sit down with President Kibaki, talk through this issue with him and he clarified for her that this was , infact, not meant as a fait accompli but intended to keep the government running"