Clinton wants SAfrica to press Zimbabwe reform

[August 07, 2009]  PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) -- While praising South Africa as a leading nation the United States hopes to work with in Africa, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday urged government officials in Pretoria to press for reform in neighboring Zimbabwe.

On the second leg of a seven-nation African tour, Clinton met with South Africa's Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to make the case for greater pressure on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to comply with a power-sharing agreement reached with a political rival.

At a news conference following their meeting, Clinton said the chaos just across its northern border in Zimbabwe was a crisis for South Africa. Decades of Mugabe's authoritarian rule have seen a once-prosperous country become an economic shambles. Inflation once hit 500 billion percent, a world record, though the abandonment of the Zimbabwe dollar in favor of the U.S. and South African currencies has seen inflation ease in recent months.

"South Africa has 3 million refugees from Zimbabwe and every one of those refugees represents a failure of the Zimbabwean government to care for its own people and a burden that South Africa has to bear," Clinton said. "South Africa is working toward a complete fulfillment of the agreement that was reached to establish the coalition government."

Former opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai became prime minister in March under the pact. He has accused Mugabe of stalling on its implementation. The two had been bitter enemies but accepted the deal under heavy international pressure.

Nkoana-Mashabane said at the news conference that she was present when South African President Jacob Zuma met earlier this week in Johannesburg with Tsvangirai. She said Tsvangirai "confirmed that they are moving forward but that he would want us to encourage ... that they move a little bit faster." She said South Africa and the United States would work together to help Zimbabweans.

Nkoana-Mashabane cited the recent easing of restrictions on foreign media that has allowed CNN and the BBC to resume broadcasting from Zimbabwe as a sign of progress. Comparing Zimbabwe's coalition to an arranged marriage, she said, "Over time you get used to it and feel that it's better than no marriage."

Zuma had emerged from his meeting with Tsvangirai promising to talk with Mugabe about Tsvangirai's concerns, which include continued harassment of members of Tsvangirai's political party by hard-liners in Mugabe's party.

Zuma's predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, was the main broker of the deal that brought Tsvangirai into the government in March, and continues to oversee it on behalf of the southern African bloc. Zuma, like Mbeki, has said the coalition is the only way forward.

Thursday, Clinton said more had to be done to "mitigate the negative effects of the continuing presidency of President Mugabe." Clinton also said she wanted South Africa's perspective on how to "strengthen the reform movement inside Zimbabwe and alleviate the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe."

South Africa had resisted similar U.S. appeals to take a tough line with Zimbabwe during the Bush administration. But U.S. officials said they hoped the new South African government, in place several months fewer than the Obama administration, would adopt a more cooperative stance.

Friday, Clinton and Nkoana-Mashabane spoke of a new era in U.S.-South African relations, with the launching of bilateral committees dedicated to improving economic and political cooperation.

Clinton said the Obama administration wants Africa to be a high foreign policy priority, and would rely on "the central leadership role that South Africa plays."

Nkoana-Mashabane, responding to a reporter's question, denied that there had been a "chill" in relations during the eight years of the Bush administration. But she said there was room for better coordination, and the "zeal and the passion" that Clinton brings would help in the effort to improve relations.

[Associated Press; By MATTHEW LEE]

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