(LUXEMBOURG) - The European Union called Tuesday for a global arms embargo against Zimbabwe in line with an EU ban on weapons and equipment which could be used to crack down on political dissent there.

The EU "encourages others to exercise similar restraint at this time by introducing a de facto moratorium on all such sales" of arms used for "internal repression", the bloc's ministers said in conclusions from talks in Luxembourg.

They said the EU would also "explore further options for increasing pressure on those who direct and engage in state-sponsored violence and intimidation in the post-election period."

While no country was mentioned, the call for a global arms embargo -- a British initiative -- comes after an arms shipment from China was banned by a South African court from passing through South Africa to Zimbabwe.

Human rights groups said they feared the arms could be used as part of a government crackdown on opposition supporters in Zimbabwe following disputed parliamentary and presidential elections on March 29.

China appeared to bow to international pressure last week, saying the ship was being turned back, even though it has defended its right to sell arms to Zimbabwe as part of its international trade.

The ministers also expressed their "deep concern" over the delay in announcing the results of the election which opposition supporters say Mugabe lost.

"The EU considers unacceptable and unjustifiable that four weeks after the people of Zimbabwe exercised their fundamental right, no results of the presidential elections have yet been published," they said.

British Minister for Europe Jim Murphy, attending the talks on behalf of Zimbabwe's former colonial power, said: "While Mugabe clings to power and seeks to steal an election the momentum is gathering for an international embargo on arms" against his regime.

The EU called for the results "to be released immediately" and to be "a genuine reflection of the free and democratic will of the Zimbabwean people."

The continued delay "raises serious concerns about the credibility of the process," the ministers added, decrying the post-election violence and intimidation against "supporters of democratic change".

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday there is a "serious humanitarian crisis" in Zimbabwe and urged the government to immediately release results of the presidential elections.

"The humanitarian situation is very worrisome. The Zimbabwe government has not released presidential results after four weeks. We know who is the winner. The authorities and President (Mugabe) should release the results immediately," he said.

Zimbabwe's electoral commission will meet presidential candidates this week to discuss results of a recount of last month's election, its chairman said Tuesday.

General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), 28-29 April 2008)

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