Nairobi — The head of the political wing of the International Criminal Court is urging Kenya to consider negotiating directly with the court on the deferral of the cases on six potential suspects of the post-election violence.

Speaking in Nairobi Thursday, President of the Assembly of Rome Statute states Christian Wenaweser said that he is seeking to encourage the government to negotiate instead of using the African Union or the United Nations.

"My message is that if the intent is to establish national proceedings in Kenya that is something that we would support. But in order to do that we would like to see the Kenyan government engage with the court. This is something that can be discussed with the court and so there is no need to go to the Security Council of the United Nations," said Mr Wenaweser.

He is in the country for a two-day visit to meet government officials, civil society and media on matters regarding the court. He is expected to address a Press conference Thursday evening before he leaves the country.

The ICC assembly chief is expected to meet President Kibaki, though on Thursday he said he had not yet secured an appointment with any officials of the Kenyan government.

"Our program is not finalised yet so I don't know that yet," Mr Wenaweser responded when asked whether he had secured an appointment with either President Kibaki or Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

His visit comes a day after Mr Odinga differed with a diplomatic offensive spearheaded by Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka to lobby other African countries to support Kenya in its quest for a deferral on the ICC cases.

The ICC head has met several civil society groups, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and also held talks with lawyer Paul Muite.

Both Mr Muite and the KNCHR did not disclose what they had discussed but the former said that Mr Wenweser was seeking to understand what the perspective of different Kenyans were on the issue.