The United States has drafted a UN Security Council resolution banning arms sales to Zimbabwe.

The seven-page document also asks the council to ban anyone who has helped President Robert Mugabe's regime to "undermine democratic processes" from travelling and to freeze their assets.

The text condemns "the continued beating, violence and torture of civilians, sexual violence, and the displacement of thousands of Zimbabweans" that has accompanied the political crisis in the troubled southern African country.

But diplomats say it will be difficult to persuade South Africa, Russia, China and other Security Council members to accept a sanctions resolution against Zimbabwe.

The White House said on Monday it would consider taking unilateral action against Mr Mugabe, who declared himself president for the sixth time after a run-off election in which he was the only candidate.

The 84-year-old is attending an African Union summit in Egypt despite calls from critics for the union to suspend him.

His arrival at the conference at Sharm el-Sheikh was marred by an angry exchange with ITV News reporter Julian Manyon, who was manhandled by Mr Mugabe's minders.

South Africa called for his Zanu-PF party to enter talks with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change on a transitional government - an indication of the line the African Union is likely to take.

In Britain, supermarket giant Tesco announced it will stop sourcing products from Zimbabwe "until there is an end to the current political crisis".

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