 Kofi Annan suspended day-to-day mediation talks in Kenya on Tuesday and said that he would now take up the remaining divisive issues with KenyaÂ’s leaders directly.
| Someone asked the other day when was the last time these experts in conflict resolution ever actually resolved any conflicts. |
| If they solved all the world's conflicts they'd all be unemployed ... |
| Could they maybe solve one or two and take only a moderate pay cut? |
| Depends on the per diem ... |
Mr. Annan, the former United Nations secretary general, seems to be growing increasingly frustrated with the pace of the negotiations, which have ground on for more than a month and are intended to solve a political crisis in Kenya that has cost more than 1,000 lives.
“We cannot continue on the current basis,” said Mr. Annan, who is shepherding the talks. “It’s important for the leaders themselves to take charge.”
Mr. Annan said it was crucial to reach a comprehensive solution and not “a patch-up job.” Kenya’s troubles started in late December after the national election commission declared Mwai Kibaki, the incumbent, the winner of a presidential election over Raila Odinga, the top opposition leader, despite widespread evidence of vote rigging. The turmoil that followed pitted supporters of Mr. Odinga against those of Mr. Kibaki in brutal battles that spread across the country and split many areas along ethnic lines. Mr. Odinga and Mr. Kibaki are from different ethnic groups, and the election seems to have kicked the lid off simmering political, ethnic and economic issues.
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