LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - The European Union called on Tuesday for an international halt to arms sales to Zimbabwe and urged the country's neighbours to step up pressure on President Robert Mugabe over delayed election results.
The 27-nation bloc already has an embargo on supplying arms or related equipment to Zimbabwe.
"It encourages others to exercise similar restraint at this time by introducing a de facto moratorium on all such sales and welcomes actions which have already been taken in this respect," EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg said a statement.
Zimbabwe's former colonial power Britain has led calls for a wider arms embargo and the United States has backed the idea.
Last week, a Chinese ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe was turned away by South Africa and other neighbouring states amid fears that a standoff over the delay to the March 29 election result could fuel violence.
Britain's Europe Minister Jim Murphy said in Luxembourg there was need for "an international effort to stop arms going to Zimbabwe until such time as the situation has been resolved and democracy is allowed to run its course."
Verification of the election results by the candidates was due to start on Tuesday but could take a week.
EU foreign ministers expressed deep concern over the delay as well as over intimidation, human rights abuses and violence, which the opposition accuses Mugabe of using to try to rig the outcome of a widely expected second round of voting.
The ministers said the EU would explore further options for increasing pressure on anyone engaging in state-sponsored violence or intimidation after the election.
EU sanctions include a ban on Mugabe travelling to parts of Western Europe. But that was lifted temporarily to allow him to attend an EU-Africa summit in Lisbon last December. It was boycotted by Brown because Mugabe was there.
The foreign ministers voiced concern at the possible effects for regional stability because of Zimbabwe and called on the SADC regional bloc to "engage with renewed determination with the Zimbabwean authorities".
The EU statement noted the bloc remained Zimbabwe's most important donor and stressed its willingness to resume full cooperation as soon as conditions allowed.
