WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir said on Monday he is committed to beginning talks with rebel leader Riek Machar, the country's former vice president, to end violence, a senior U.S. official said after meeting Kiir in the capital Juba earlier in the day.
"President Kiir committed to me that he was ready to begin talks with Riek Machar to end the crisis without preconditions as soon as his counterpart is willing," U.S. special envoy to South Sudan, Donald Booth, told a conference call with reporters.