Berlin - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
backed Thursday a call for an independent recount of the votes in
Kenya's presidential election to bring an end to bloodshed.
He spoke a day after telephoning defeated presidential candidate
Raila Odinga and Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju in Nairobi.
A statement released by the Foreign Ministry in Berlin said he
appealed to the government and opposition to avoid violence at a mass
rally. Odinga later postponed that Nairobi rally.
'The postponement by Odinga's party provides a breathing space for
both the government and the opposition to consult on a peaceful
solution to the current crisis,' Steinmeier said, appealing for calm
and asking both sides to urge their supporters to be non-violent.
Kenyan Attorney General Amos Wako called Thursday on Kenyan
television for an independent investigation into the vote count that
led to President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election. He said 'a
proper tally ... should be undertaken immediately.'
Steinmeier said 'I support the call by the attorney-general and
the European Union election observers for a recount.
'This could be the basis for reconciliation between the parties
and ethnic groups and for a return by Kenya to the path of
democracy.'
The German minister had also phoned UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-Moon about the crisis, aides in Berlin said.
Steinmeier said Germany was concerned at post-election unrest that
has seen at least 300 people killed and marked a disturbing change in
the usually peaceful country.
The German foreign minister said his country supported mediation
efforts being undertaken by the African Union, according to the first
of the two statements he issued.
Odinga has charged that the December 27 poll, which he lost by
230,000 votes to incumbent Mwai Kibaki, was flawed. Kibaki's Party of
National Unity has insisted Kibaki was the rightful winner.
© 2008 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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