(STRASBOURG) - The European parliament on Thursday called on China to cease arms shipments to Zimbabwe, commending South African dockworkers for refusing to unload Chinese arms bound for Harare's security forces.

The Euro MPs, meeting in Strasbourg, called on the Chinese government "to cease arms exports to Zimbabwe and to order the immediate return of the An Yue Jiang to Chinese waters."

In Beijing a Chinese government spokesman said the Chinese ship, that sparked international condemnation for attempting to transport weapons to Zimbabwe, was being brought back to China.

The An Yue Jiang, belonging to state-owned shipping firm COSCO, was forced to abandon its plans to offload the arms in the South African port of Durban last week.

This came after activists won a court case which prevented it from transporting the load overland to the Zimbabwe border.

The MEPs in their resolution commended the South African dockworkers "for refusing to unload arms from the Chinese cargo ship" and called on all Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to do the same.

The European parliament also urged Zimbabwe officials "immediately to release" the results of last month's disputed election in the country.

"The delays are now causing anxiety and speculation that is detrimental to peace, political stability and Zimbabwe's democratic prospects," the Euro MPs said, echoing a similar call made last week by the European Commission.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won a clear victory over Mugabe, the top US envoy to Africa said Thursday.

The European parliamentary resolution also deplored the arrests of foreign journalists in Zimbabwe in recent weeks and called for "the immediate lifting of all restrictions on freedom of the press and assembly, and for unfettered access to Zimbabwe for foreign news agencies."

The Euro deputies called for the immediate release of 36 people arrested in the course of a peaceful protest against the delayed publication of the election results.

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