'No talks without mediator'
2008-01-08 12:32
Nairobi - Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga will only meet President Mwai Kibaki for direct talks on the country's political crisis if the African Union chief is present, his spokesperson says.
"He will not meet Kibaki for negotiations unless (Ghanaian President John) Kufuor is there," said Salim Lone, Odinga's spokesperson.
"There is a new process of negotiations to be started by President Kufuor. Honourable Odinga will not attend any meeting with Kibaki that is not part of this initiative," Lone said.
Kibaki said that he had invited his rival on Friday for their first talks since the country's disputed December 27 presidential poll.
Disputes over the vote count sparked nationwide violence that killed at least 600 people and displaced 250 000 others. Lone added that Odinga had not received a direct invitation from Kibaki to the talks.
He said: "In any event, the invitation was not directed to Odinga, but to the press, so we can't take it seriously."
Kufuor was due to arrive in Nairobi on Tuesday evening to join mediation efforts to end Kenya's political turmoil.
Top US Africa envoy Jendayi Frazer and several former African presidents were also in the country in a bid to diffuse the crisis.