Zimbabwe-bound arms shipment recalled
25 April 2008
China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that a ship carrying arms bound for Zimbabwe had been recalled by the Chinese company behind the sale, Reuters reported. Speaking at a news conference, ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said the recall was made because the ship was unable to unload its goods at port in South Africa. Port workers refused to handle the cargo after concerns were expressed by the international community that the weapons would be used by Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to crack down on the opposition following a disputed election result. Jiang defended China's record on arms sales, claiming that transactions are conducted legally and in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. "We have been very responsible and cautious with regards to weapons exports," Jiang added.
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