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EU wants sanctions to end Kenyan
crisis
January 31, 2008, 17:30
Suspending business cooperation with the Kenyan government is the
only effective way that the EU can contribute to helping find a
solution to the crisis. That's according to the European Policy
Center (EPC).
An analyst for the EPC think-tank says once a solution to the
crisis has been found, the EU will have a much bigger role to play.
The European Parliament has also condemned the violence, and the
EU Foreign Policy chief, Javier Solana, says it's up to the
African Union (AU) to broker a peace deal.
EPC analyst John Kotsopoulis says the key is not to go back to
business as usual. "The tendency in other African elections that
have had questionable results is that the EU just conducts
business as usual and that must not be the case in Kenya."
With all eyes now on the mediation talks and the all important AU
meeting, the EU is gearing up for an area where it can react
quickly, without drawn-out talks to get consensus from all its 27
member states.
Kotsopoulis added that the handling of the Kenyan crisis will also
be a watershed test for the AU's ability to mediate and find home
grown solutions for African problems.
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