NAIROBI, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- United States President-elect Barack Obama held telephone talks with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and discussed issues of mutual interest and future plans of engagement.

    A statement from President Kibaki's office on Wednesday said the Kenyan leader used the telephone conversation which took placeon Tuesday night to congratulated President-elect Obama on his historic and well deserved victory.

    "During the telephone conversation, President Kibaki once againcongratulated President-elect Obama on his historic and well deserved victory," the statement said.

    He also gave the best wishes of the people of Kenya saying thatPresident-elect Obama's victory had been received with immense pride and gratification.

    The President said the Kenyan people fully understood that the new U.S. President owed his allegiance to the American people but were confident that Kenya would always have a special place in the President-elect's heart.

    President Kibaki assured the President-elect that Kenya looked forward to strengthening co-operation and ties with the United States of America and wished him God's blessing's during his tenure as the 44th U.S. President.

    President Kibaki extended an invitation to President-elect Barack Obama to visit Kenya at his earliest convenience.