Pretoria, Aug 8 (IANS) Visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane have vowed to boost cooperation between the two countries, BuaNews reported.
Clinton arrived here Thursday night as part of her seven-nation Africa tour.

The Secretary of State is expected to meet President Jacob Zuma in Durban Saturday.

Earlier, Clinton held talks with Nkoana-Mashabane.

The leaders agreed the relations between the two countries have not been very strong and pledged to change that.

“There has been indeed a lack of co-ordination in our relations and we need to change that,” International Relations Minister Nkoana-Mashabane said at a press conference in the presidential guesthouse.

Journalists, however, were interested to know how Clinton’s visit could help find solutions to the political crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe, the report said Friday.

“South Africa is very aware of the challenges posed by the political situation in Zimbabwe. The country has more than three million refugees from Zimbabwe…and the minister (Nkoana-Mashabane) and I have talked about ways to create a better outcome for the people of Zimbabwe,” Clinton said.

“We as you know are attempting to target the leadership of Zimbabwe with the sanctions we think that might influence their behaviour,” she said at the conference.

She said President Barack Obama is committed to provide help to the Zimbabweans.

Nkoana-Mashabane said South Africa will continue to work with the people of Zimbabwe to press for the power sharing agreement signed by the political leaders of that country last year.

“We want them to fast-track the implementation of the agreement,” she added.

Clinton said the US will work with South Africa to fight against the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

She also urged the African leaders to support the transitional federal government in Somalia.