UN rejects Africa bid to halt Kenya leaders' ICC trials

Both men deny involvement in post-election violence in 2007

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The UN Security Council has rejected an attempt to suspend the trials of Kenya's president and vice-president at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A resolution had been proposed by African states to suspend the trial of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for a year.
Eight of the 15 council members abstained and the motion did not pass.
Both men face charges over violence following the disputed 2007 election, which left some 1,200 people dead.
The resolution was proposed by Rwanda and seven members of the Security Council - including Russia and China - voted in favour.
However, nine votes are needed for a resolution to be successful at the council.
The resolution had been widely expected to fail, the BBC's Nick Bryant reports from the UN in New York.

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Analysis Nick Bryant BBC News, New York

The resolution put forward by Rwanda, with the backing of the African Union, complained that the ICC trials were distracting President Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, from responding to September's attack on the Westgate mall in Nairobi. They wanted a one-year deferral. But for African nations this vote, which they knew would never pass, had larger meaning - it was also a protest at what they regard as an institutional bias from the International Criminal Court against Africa.
In the end, the resolution mustered the support of seven nations, two short of the nine required, with America, France, and Britain abstaining. It was actually the first time in decades that a resolution had failed in this way. Usually, resolutions fail because they are vetoed by one of the five permanent members. That underscores how symbolic this vote had become.
African diplomats called it a watershed moment, complaining that the vote betrayed a lack of trust in Africa. France and Britain, who opposed the resolution, have been upset with that kind of "for us or against us" rhetoric. They're worried about a rift now opening up.

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Western countries on the council had opposed a delay, characterising their support for the ICC trials going ahead as part of a fight against impunity, our correspondent adds.

There was an angry reaction from African diplomats to the vote, who said it would change the way the continent interacts with the international community, he says.
While Mr Ruto went on trial in September, the ICC delayed President Kenyatta's trial until February following September's attack on the Westgate shopping mall in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, which left 67 people dead.
Mr Ruto's trial was adjourned for a week in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
However, last month the court said he must attend most of his trial, although he could be excused on a "case by case" basis.
Mr Kenyatta is to become the first serving head of state to go on trial at an international court.
Last month, countries attending an African Union summit in Ethiopia demanded a further deferral for Mr Kenyatta's trial.
It also agreed a resolution stating no sitting African head of state should appear before an international court.
With Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir facing an ICC case as well as Mr Kenyatta, African leaders have long complained that the court unfairly targets them.
Also on Friday, an opinion poll by the Ipsos Synovate company of 2,060 Kenyans indicated that 67% of those asked wanted Mr Kenyatta to travel to the ICC and clear his name.
25% of respondents said Mr Kenyatta should not attend.