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AU welcomes Kenya deal
29/02/2008 14:55 - (SA)
Addis Ababa - The African Union on Friday welcomed a power-sharing deal by Kenya's rival leaders to resolve a deadly political crisis sparked by a bitterly disputed presidential elections.
The pan-African body, which initiated the mediation talks led by former United Nations chief Kofi Annan, called on President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to ensure the deal was implemented.
In a statement, the AU Peace and Security Council "welcomed the signing ... of an agreement on the principles of partnership of the coalition government".
Kibaki and Odinga signed a power-sharing agreement on Thursday, which called for the creation of a prime minister's post with two deputies.
The statement added: "Council encouraged the parties to fully implement the agreement including enactment of the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008."
Ethnic clashes kill 1 500+ people
The agreement was also hailed in Japan, where the government hailed the deal and voiced hope that the country can again be seen as "a stronghold of stability and prosperity in Africa."
"Japan strongly hopes that both parties will steadily implement the agreement, which is an important development to resolve the political crisis," a foreign ministry statement in Tokyo said.
Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura cancelled a scheduled trip to Nairobi due to the political deadlock, but his country donated more than $4m to assist people displaced by the crisis in Kenya.
Weeks of political rioting and ethnic clashes killed more than 1 500 people and displaced hundreds of thousands others mainly in western Kenya and Nairobi slums.
Government and opposition negotiators resumed talks on Friday on long-term issues including land, constitutional and government reforms as well as economic disparities among Kenyan communities.
- AFP
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