The International Criminal Court postponed the trial of Kenya's president on crimes against humanity charges until February, but the African Union said that's not enough time and stepped up pressure for a one-year deferral.
The judges made the announcement while an AU ministerial delegation was meeting behind closed doors with members of the UN Security Council in New York to press the case for the yearlong deferral of the trials of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto on the ground that the stability of Kenya is at stake.
An AU letter on Oct. 12 requesting a deferral said the delay would give Kenya time to beef up counterterrorism efforts in the country and East Africa.
Ethiopia's foreign minister, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who led the AU delegation, told reporters afterward that African council members would introduce a resolution in the Security Council "very soon" that would authorize a one-year delay.
He acknowledged divisions in the council, saying: "There are those who support, those who have some difficulties with it."
But the AU hopes members will recognize the "grave" and "extraordinary situation" in Kenya, which has been the target of terrorists and is involved in Somalia, where al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups are active, he said.
Agshin Mehdiyev, Azerbaijan's UN ambassador and the current Security Council president, called the meeting "very interesting and very useful," but said there was no outcome yet because it was just an informal discussion.
International Criminal Court judges said Kenyatta's trial, which had been scheduled to start November 12, will now begin Februart 5. They expressed deep regret at the latest delay in the long-running preparations of the case.
Hours earlier, prosecutors said they would not oppose a delay because they needed time to investigate undisclosed issues raised by Kenyatta's defense attorneys.
The ICC charged Kenyatta and Ruto with crimes against humanity, including murder, forcible population transfer and persecution, for their alleged roles in postelection violence that left more than 1,000 people dead in late 2007 and early 2008.
Kenyatta also is accused of responsibility for rape and other inhumane acts carried out by a criminal gang known as the Mungiki, which were allegedly under his control.
Kenyatta, who was elected president earlier this year, even though he had been indicted by the ICC, insists he is innocent, as does Ruto, whose trial is already underway.
Kenyatta's lawyers have called for the case against him to be delayed or dropped, saying the evidence is tainted by false testimony from prosecution witnesses.
