Clinton presses SA on Zimbabwe

PRETORIA: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton encouraged South Africa on Friday to use its clout to bolster reforms in Zimbabwe and said closer ties would be built with Pretoria after strains under the Bush administration.

Before meeting South Africa's foreign minister on Friday, Clinton said she would urge the new government to get Zimbabwe to raise the pace of political reform which has been too slow for donors to release substantial amounts of aid.

"South Africa is very aware of the challenges posed by the political crisis in Zimbabwe because South Africa has 3 million refugees from Zimbabwe," Clinton told a news conference after meeting International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.