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Annan - A Deal is Close
The Nation (Nairobi)
15 February 2008
Churchill Otieno
The only thing standing in the way of a political deal out of
Kenya's crisis is what shape a new "broad based" Government should
take, an agreement made public by Kofi Annan today shows.
The Government and the Orange Democratic Movement are "close" to a
deal, chief mediator Kofi Annan has said while reassuring of his
commitment to the talks.
Mr Annan said while he had not expected to stay so long in Kenya,
he will stay to the end – until a "new broadbased Government" is
in place.
He said the rival parties had so far agreed on the need for a
political settlement on the crisis, an independent review of the
presidential election to start by March 15, a wide range of
reforms on the
Constitution and in the judiciary, police, Electoral Commission,
Parliament.
The former UN chief also announced he had requested for a meeting
with President Kibaki and ODM's Raila Odinga on Monday so that he
can ask them to give their negotiators a clear direction.
Reforms in the Electoral Commission will be informed by the
outcome of the independent review of the presidential poll, which
is to be conducted by a team including Kenyans and non-Kenyans.
"We agreed there was no way of determining the outcome of the 2007
presidential election, but the facts have to come out," Mr Annan
said on the need for the independent review of the election.
The poll probe team once established, will have between three and
six months to conclude their work, after which their report should
be published within 14 days.
Mr Annan said that while agreeing on the need for a broad based
Government, the rival parties had requested for time to consult
with their principals on the structure of such a government. The
talks will
resume in Nairobi on Tuesday.
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