Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki says he is ready to form a national unity government with the opposition in order to end the violence that has plagued the nation since last week's disputed elections.
Mr. Kibaki released a statement outlining his intentions Saturday after meeting in Nairobi with the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs, Jendayi Frazer.
The U.S. diplomat met earlier Saturday with opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Frazer is in Kenya to help bring an end to the unrest that broke out after Mr. Odinga accused Mr. Kibaki of rigging the December 27 election in his favor. More than 300 people have been killed in the fighting, much of it between Mr. Odinga's Luo tribe and the president's Kikuyu tribe.
Both sides have accused the other of committing acts of genocide.
The U.N. says the unrest also has forced more than 250,000 people from their homes. Aid workers say they are struggling to get food to thousands of people cut off from food and water.
International observers have described last week's vote as seriously flawed. Leaders of Mr. Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement opposition party have called for new elections. The government says it will accept that proposition, but only if a court orders a new vote.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband issued a statement Friday calling on Kenya's leaders to strike a power-sharing agreement to restore peace in the country.
Mr. Kibaki has said he will talk with political rivals when post-election violence ends.
Kenyan security forces prevented the opposition from carrying out a protest march and rally in Nairobi's Uhuru Park. Another protest called for Friday never materialized.Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
