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Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (centre) with opposition lawnmaker Musalia Mudavadi (left) and Justice Minister Martha Karua at a news conference in Nairobi. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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NAIROBI - KENYA'S feuding parties agreed to a framework for talks to resolve a violent political crisis, in which some 850 people have died, within 15 days, former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said.
The two sides, at odds since a Dec 27 election returned President Mwai Kibaki to power in a vote opposition challenger Raila Odinga says he rigged, said on Friday they had agreed only a skeleton model for talks but hoped to make progress quickly.
Mr Annan said they would discuss stopping ethnically motivated killings, how to deliver humanitarian aid to the affected and how to resolve the immediate political crisis before tackling a longer term solution, which could take a year.
'The first is to take immediate action to stop the violence,' Mr Annan, who is heading the mediation, told reporters.
'But more importantly, the parties agreed that the first three items could be handled and resolved within 7 to 15 days.'
Talks are to resume on Monday. Senior opposition official Musalia Mudavadi said they two sides agreed to urge supporters to end the violence, in which rival tribes are locked into a cycle of killings and lootings.
'We ... agreed on the agenda items ... We have made substantial progress on the first agenda item ... We are calling on the public to disband any illegal militia,' he said.
Kenya's Justice Minister Martha Karua agreed and said steps would be taken to protect life and property after post-poll protests descended into bloodshed.
Mr Annan's announcement followed a visit by his successor, UN chief Ban Ki Moon, to give clout to diplomatic efforts.
Mr Ban met negotiating teams for Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga trying to reach a deal to end the crisis in what had been one of the continent's more stable nations and strongest economies.
'What is important at this time is to maintain peace and security,' he told reporters. 'The killing must stop.' But even as he spoke, violence continued in flashpoints all over western Kenya.
'I saw around 20 torched houses including shops and two policemen with arrow wounds,' said a local journalist who had visited the area and did not want to be named. 'At least 10 people have died from both sides.'
Leaders at an African Union summit in Ethiopia want urgent action. Mr Ban flew in from there for a one-day visit to Kenya.
'You have lost already too much in terms of national image, economic interest,' he said.
More than 300,000 Kenyans are living as refugees. -- REUTERS
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