Kenya ? Kenya’s rival political parties moved toward an agreement to share power, the chief mediator said Friday, raising hopes for a breakthrough in the postelection crisis that has left more than 1,000 people dead.

In another sign tensions were easing, the internal security minister lifted the ban on public rallies imposed after violence broke out over the East African country’s disputed Dec. 27 presidential election.

Former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, who is mediating talks, said he expected to complete work on a settlement by early next week.

A power-sharing agreement would be a major breakthrough in the political deadlock gripping the country since the announcement of President Mwai Kibaki’s narrow victory after a vote count that foreign and local observers say was flawed. The ensuing violence has often pitted many of the country’s myriad ethnic groups against one another.

Earlier, an opposition lawmaker on the negotiating team claimed a power-sharing deal had been reached. William Ruto said the two sides still were discussing who would lead the government and what roles each party would play. But Annan said Ruto “was jumping the gun.”