UK DOESN'T RECOGNIZE NEW KENYA GOVERNMENT
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In British House of Commons, Mr Edward Davey, a Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton rose to "thank the Government(UK) in their various public statements for not referring to "Mr Mwai Kibaki as the President".
He then asked,
"Will the Foreign Secretary confirm that the Government still do not recognise Mr Kibaki as having been re-elected president?
Did the Foreign Secretary share my concern when the US State Department, in the first crucial hours after the poll, rushed to accept the flawed election result? Has he raised the serious consequences of that critical error of judgement with the US Secretary of State?"
In response, Mr David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary state: "I can confirm that we have recognised no new Government in Kenya. In respect of the United States’ position, I spoke to the Secretary of State on December 30, or possibly 31."
He added: "She made it absolutely clear to me that although the United States was happy to congratulate the Kenyan people on the way they had participated in the democratic process, it had issued no congratulation to an individual "winner"; that her concerns about the irregularities identified by the EU are serious and real; and that she shares our commitment to the spirit of compromise to which we referred in our joint statement and, critically, to the sharing of power."
Mr Miliband warned of the risks of Kenya forfeiting international support if they fail to strike a compromise.
Germany wants EU aid suspended if the Government rejects international mediation. The United States has warned that the US would find it impossible to conduct "business as usual" in the present circumstances.
The British MPs made wide-ranging proposals in dealing with the post-election conflict including calls for fresh elections and an aid embargo.East Dunbartonshire MP Jo Swinson of the Liberal Democrats said:
"The Minister mentions the possibility of auditing the votes that were already cast, but most of the available information shows that that will not be possible because they have been destroyed or tampered with. Surely the way forward for Kenya is to hold fresh elections so that people can have their say and have their votes counted properly."
Munn had told Parliament that the UK supported mediation efforts by the panel of experts led by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan who is due in Nairobi later this week.
"We are pleased that former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan agreed to head the panel, and that Graca Machel and former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa also agreed to take part," she said.She told the MPs:
"The panel of experts has our full support, and the UK stands ready to assist them in any way we can. We also wish Annan a speedy recovery from the illness that has delayed his departure for Nairobi and hope that he will soon be able to travel.
"Britain also called for a lifting of the ban on live media broadcasts and for respect for the right to peaceful assembly. "It is important that all people have an outlet through which to express their views, and that the media can report objectively on events in Kenya,"The UK parliament was told.
Last week, Foreign Secretary David Miliband called on Kenyan leaders, 'to be ready to engage in a credible mediation process and he warned that if they failed to compromise, those leaders would forfeit the confidence, goodwill and support of the Kenyan people and the international community."
