Germany urges end to EU financial aid to Kenya until parties talk

( dpa )- Germany called Wednesday for direct financial aid to Kenya from the European Union to be frozen until the conflicting parties enter talks with each other.

"The European Commission must become active and freeze direct financial assistance to Kenya," Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul said in Berlin.

"Pressure on the Kibaki government must be increased, so that the conflicting parties in Kenya finally sit down at the negotiating table and find a political solution," she said.

Wieczorek-Zeul called on President Mwai Kibaki's government to accept the efforts at conciliation by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan.

Kenya had clearly infringed the conditions of its partnership with the EU through evident electoral fraud and the refusal of the parties to talk to each other, she said.

There were renewed clashes in the East African country Wednesday as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga fought with police.