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Kenya talks resume, African ministers arrive
2008-02-07 09:21:44
By NAIROBI
East African foreign ministers arrived in Kenya yesterday for a meeting the opposition has threatened to demonstrate against, while the rival sides hammered away at talks to end the post-election crisis.
The opposition has threatened more street protests if the government holds today`s planned meeting of the seven-nation, regional bloc IGAD, whose rotating chairmanship is now held by President Mwai Kibaki.
Kenya`s government is banking on goodwill in African diplomatic circles-earned from years as a continental peacemaker - to win support for its view that the opposition should challenge the vote in court, not in the streets.
IGAD issued a communique last week that backed that position, while supporting the talks. The opposition argues that Kenya`s institutions are too flawed or biased to do the job.
Former UN chief Kofi Annan, mediating between the opposing sides about a disputed election, has chided the opposition for threatening mass action while talks were under way.
For a second day, he pushed the two sides to focus on the election dispute.
The opposition says Kibaki stole the vote and does not recognise him as the victor, while the government says he was legally elected and the opposition should make it challenge in court.
The bloodshed ensuing from the Dec. 27 election has seriously harmed Kenya`s image as a stable and prosperous country in a turbulent part of Africa.
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