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Britain calls for Zimbabwe arms embargo

  • Story Highlights
  • UK prime minister calls for worldwide arms embargo against Zimbabwe
  • Electoral commission carrying out recount of 23 legislative districts
  • Brown and ANC president agree African nations need to do more
  • Recount confirms result showing Mugabe's party had won lower house seat
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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- Britain's prime minister Wednesday called for an arms embargo on Zimbabwe and urged condemnation of the country's recent elections as initial results of an opposition-decried recount showed in favor of President Robert Mugabe's party.

Gordon Brown's call came as a Chinese ship carrying weapons to Zimbabwe headed to Angola after its cargo was blocked from transit across South Africa and pressure mounted on other African nations not to allow delivery.

"We will promote proposals for an embargo on all arms to Zimbabwe and at the same time, we ask all the African Union observers and international observers to make their views known about the unfairness of this election," Brown told the House of Commons.

The U.S. has asked South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Angola to not allow the ship carrying the arms to dock in their ports.

Brown said the international community should also turn the heat up on Zimbabwe's government over its handling of the country's March 29 parliamentary and presidential elections.

Opposition leaders in Zimbabwe claimed victory following the vote and have accused Mugabe of trying to cling on to power by ordering a partial parliamentary election recount they say will be manipulated in his favor.

"What is happening in Zimbabwe -- failing to announce an election result, trying to rig an election result -- is completely unacceptable," Brown said.

"I call on the whole world to express its view that this is completely unacceptable to the whole of the international community."

Meanwhile, Brown also met with Jacob Zuma, the president of South Africa's ruling party Wednesday, and the pair agreed that "something needs to be done" by African nations to help bring an end to the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Zuma, the ANC's president, said he needed to talk with South Africa President Thabo Mbeki before speaking about any specifics.

"We are agreed that the situation is not acceptable. Something needs to be done," said Zuma. "The prime minister [Brown] urged further intervention by Africa in general. I can't prescribe what needs to be done."

Zuma brushed off questions about Mbeki's previous statements that there was not a crisis in Zimbabwe.

"He does believe that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe," Zuma said. "He clarified those statements."

The results of the Zimbabwe's March 29 elections have not been announced. A recount is under way and some in the opposition party say violence and intimidation tactics have been used against people that did not vote for Mugabe. Officials in Mugabe's camp have denied those claims.

Zimbabwe's electoral commission released the first result Wednesday from a recount of 23 legislative districts.

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The recount confirmed initial results showing that Mugabe's party had won a seat in the lower house of parliament. The seat is from one of 23 districts where Mugabe's party, ZANU-PF, has alleged irregularities.

ZANU-PF would regain a majority if the recount reverses the results in nine or more seats. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

CNN's Nkepile Mabuse contributed to this report

All About ZimbabweRobert MugabeMorgan Tsvangirai

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