Mugabe orders partial recount as boat containing regime's 77 tonnes of Chinese arms is marooned off South African coast

It would have been used to arm the tyrant Robert Mugabe's thugs in Zimbabwe.

But dockers in South African port of Durban won't unload the 77 tons of mortars, ammunition and rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons.

The cargo revelation comes as Zimbabwe began a partial recount of votes from the March 29 elections, despite opposition efforts to block it and widespread fears political stalemate could erupt into violence

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The recount in 23 of 210 constituencies could overturn the results of the parliamentary election, which showed President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF losing its majority to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change for the first time.

ZANU-PF lost 16 out of those 23 constituencies in the original count, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said.

Results of a parallel presidential vote have not been released, but MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai insists he has won.

"The vote recounting process has started, and it's going to be a thorough exercise. We expect it to take about three days," a Zimbabwe Electoral Commission official said.

Meanwhile South African dockers have continued to refuse to unload the Chinese ship over claims that the armoury will almost certainly be used in a brutal crackdown on Mugabe's opponents.

Yesterday Britain, the U.S. and other western nations were preparing to call for urgent United Nations action to bring in a worldwide ban on arms sales to Zimbabwe.

The stand-off in South Africa has returned the world's attention the election crisis in Zimbabwe and Mugabe's desperate efforts to remain in power.

But it is also yet another international embarrassment for Beijing, following the Olympic protests, and highlights China's increasing involvement in Africa.

Earlier this week, Chinese troops were seen on the streets of Zimbabwe's third largest city Mutare.

The order for the shipment was finalised on April 1, three days after last month's elections.

It emerged yesterday that this was when talks on a peaceful transition of power from Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party to the opposition broke down.

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Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai revealed in a TV interview that after the election that envoys of Mugabe's party approached his Movement for Democratic Change to discuss forming a government of national unity.

Tsvangirai hinted he would be prepared to accept some Zanu-PF people in the government but the talks broke down after several days.

The result of the election has still not been released by Mugabe's officials.

The South African government said the paperwork for the shipment was in order and the ship, An Yue Jiang, has been cleared to dock and unload.

However, the dock workers union won't handle four containers of weapons.

These include nearly 3million rounds of ammunition for small arms and AK-47s, about 3,500 mortars and mortar launchers, as well as 1,500 rockets for rocket-propelled grenades.

Gordon Brown, George Bush and other leaders were briefed on the arrival of the weapons ship but British officials were reluctant to criticise China before confirmation that the shipment was from Beijing and destined for the Zimbabwe government.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The European Union has a ban on the sale of arms to Zimbabwe and we would encourage others to take the same approach."

Zimbabwe and China have close military ties involving equipment and training.

Three years ago, Mugabe signed extensive trade pacts with the Chinese as part of his Look East policy - forced on him after he was ostracised by western governments over alleged humans abuses.

The deal gave the Chinese mineral and trade concessions in exchange for economic help - mirroring other deals Beijing has signed with regimes all over Africa.

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The Chinese soldiers seen in Mutare were accompanying Zimbabwean soldiers, say witnesses.

Workers at the city's Holiday Inn said ten members of the People's Liberation Army checked into the hotel on Monday, carrying pistols.

They were supposed to stay five days but left after three to travel to another town in the country.

Officially they were there to visit strategic areas such as border posts, key companies and state institutions.

However, witnesses found their presence intimidating.

"We've never seen Chinese soldiers in full regalia on our streets before. It was surprising," said one.

China is under an international spotlight 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.

Last night Beijing said it "has always had a prudent and responsible attitude towards arms sales".

The unions' action in Durban is also an embarrassment for South African president Thabo Mbeki.

He has been heavily criticised for not taking a tougher line against Mugabe, even claiming there is no crisis in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe information minister, Bright Matonga, said no party had the right to stop the shipment.

"When they are going to be used is none of anybody's business,' he said.

Yesterday, 84-year-old Mugabe launched a typical tirade against Britain in his first major speech since the elections.

Mugabe told 15,000 cheering supporters in a fiery address to mark independence day: "Down with the British. Down with thieves who want to steal our country."

In a stream of insults against Britain, Mugabe added: "Today they are like thieves fronting their lackeys among us, which they give money to confuse our people."

Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, repeated the line that London and not the MDC were the real enemy.

The MDC accuses him of launching a campaign of militia violence to help him rig victory in an expected presidential runoff against Tsvangirai.