Zambia calls on African countries to repel Chinese ship

Zambia calls on African countries to repel Chinese ship

DOOMED: The Chinese ship carrying Zimbabwean arms has attracted world attention after failing to unload its cargo in South Africa last week

• US bids to block Chinese ship from unloading

• Chinese weapons ship sails to Mozambique

• SA union refuses to unload arms shipment

• Chinese vessel carrying Zim arms docks in Durban

• Chinese vessel delivering arms to Zimbabwe - claim

• Karoi army 'war' drill raises crackdown fears

• Zimbabwe's security chiefs issue threats on election eve

• Army threatens coup if Mugabe loses

• Civil servants strike looms as soldiers get windfall

• Police ask for more time in coup plot trial

• Kidnappers seize army commander's baby

• Zim prosecutors 'not ready' for coup trial

• New wheels for army, police bosses

• 'Coup plotters' have case to answer - court

• Mugabe hails army loyalty

• Chiwengwa's wife threatens to sue for US$1 billion

• Tsvangirai flees Chiwenga's wife, journalist attacked

• CIO launched raid on Mnangagwa's office

• Judge makes U-turn on open trial

• Zimbabwe 'coup plotters' back in court

• Judge orders coup plot trial in open court

• Zim 'coup plotters' charged with treason

• Zimbabwe soldiers could starve in weeks, MPs told

• Air Force commander 'poisoned'

• Mugabe's guards in open rebellion

• US government sponsored Zim army

• Army blows US$1,3 million on new vehicles

• 40 'possessed students' withdrawn after Shiri visit

• Herald makes apology over Shiri story

• Zimbabwe splashes on new Chinese K-8 jets

• Mugabe says army will 'pull trigger' on opponents

ZAMBIA'S president urged regional states on Monday to bar a Chinese ship carrying arms to Zimbabwe from entering their waters, saying the shipment could deepen the country's election crisis.

Zimbabwe announced a delay on Sunday in a partial recount of votes in March 29 parliamentary elections, extending a deadlock in which the opposition says 10 of its members have been killed and hundreds arrested.

The opposition says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won presidential elections held on the same day, and that Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is attempting to cling to power by delaying declaring the result.

The Chinese ship, An Yue Jiang, was turned away from South Africa and is heading for Angola in the hope of docking there, Mozambique's transport minister said on Saturday.

Mozambique did not allow it to enter its waters.

"I hope this will be the case with all the countries because we don't want a situation which will escalate the (tension) in Zimbabwe more than what it is," Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who is also chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional grouping, told reporters.

The Chinese ship left South African waters on Friday after a court refused to allow the arms to be transported across South Africa.

The 300,000-strong South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) refused to unload the weapons because of concerns Mugabe's government might use them against opponents in the post-election stalemate.

For its part, China is trying to prevent the controversy from fuelling criticism over its human rights record and rule in Tibet ahead of hosting the Olympics in August. Violent protests have followed the Olympic torch across the globe.

"The Chinese can play a very useful role in Zimbabwe without (offering) firearms," Zambia's Mwanawasa said.

In Harare, Zimbabwean Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said it was Zimbabwe's sovereign right to defend itself and buy weapons from all legitimate sources.

"I don't understand all this hullabaloo about a lone ship," he told a news conference. - Reuters

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