Annan suspends Kenya peace talks

FORMER UN chief Kofi Annan said yesterday he has suspended talks between Kenya’s government and the opposition that were supposed to end the country’s deadly post-election crisis.

The talks have dragged on for weeks with no tangible progress. Mr Annan said he would speak to the rival leaders personally to try to re-motivate them.

Mr Annan said he was calling off the talks so he could meet with President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

The negotiations have failed to resolve the dispute between Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga, who says the December presidential election was a sham.

International and local monitors say the results of the vote were manipulated, making it unclear who would have won.

Although Mr Odinga says the election was a sham President Kibaki says it made him the legitimate leader.

The violence that erupted after the election has largely subsided in recent weeks, but attacks have left more 1,000 people dead and forced 600,000 from their homes.