HARARE. May 4: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe remains steadfastly defiant of international pressure to quickly end the ongoing land crisis in the country and has scoffed on British's offers for aid to resolve the problem, reports AFP.

Ignoring mounting international concerns over the illegal occupation of white-owned farms by war veterans and supporters of his ruling ZANU-PF party. Mugabe repeated his refusal to end the land invasions when he launched his party's election manifesto Wednesday.

He said the invasions, which he has called "mere peaceful demonstrations" took him by surprise, but pleasantly so.

"We support the war veterans. The action they took was their own initiative. It all surprised us. but pleasantly," he said.

Britain, the former colonial master which has offered funding for the land reforms, wants an end to the Illegal occupation of white-owned farms and is pressing Harare to end political violence and intimidation and stage free and fair legislative elections.

"Neither Britain nor any other donor is going to fund a programme of land reform unless it is conducted within the rule of law. it Is based on a fair price to the farmer and It reduces poverty among the rural poor who have no land." said British foreign secretary Robin Cook.

But Mugabe reacted angrily: "We can't learn the rule of law from the British, because they never Introduced it here. They cannot be our teachers of democracy because we Introduced democracy in this country, there was never any democracy here, no law and order here".