Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, left, meets with U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes in Nairobi, 08 Feb 2008

United Nations emergency relief coordinator John Holmes has arrived in Kenya for a three-day visit to assess the humanitarian crisis there.

At least 1,000 people have been killed - and 300,000 displaced - in political protests and ethnic violence triggered by the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki on December 27.

Holmes told reporters that a political solution is needed to stop the violence and that negotiators should "keep pressure on all sides" of the dispute.

Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is mediating the talks between Kenya's rival political leaders in an effort to resolve the crisis. Friday, visiting East African leaders threw their support behind Mr. Annan's efforts after meeting with both sides in the dispute.

The European Union development commissioner, Luis Michel, is participating in the talks. He said Thursday that the political rivals are showing signs of flexibility.

Kenya's opposition claims Mr. Kibaki rigged the vote to secure re-election. The president says he won a fair race.

In other news, Kenyan police say they will charge one of their officers with murder after he was filmed shooting two people to death during post-election violence last month.