08 Aug 2009
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has met with South African President Jacob Zuma as both countries expressed willingness to improve strained bilateral ties.

The two officials met in the coastal city of Durban on Saturday.

Clinton, who was expected to press Zuma for help in Zimbabwe, praised insight shed on regional issue by the leader and described the meeting as "helpful."

"He gave his views on regional issues from Zimbabwe, Somalia, and Sudan. His advice on these issues was extremely helpful," she said adding that US President Barack Obama was determined to open a new chapter in the countries' cooperation.

"In both countries there are two new administrations which are taking that relationship a level higher. That is what we are trying to do," Zuma said after the 45-minute long meeting with Clinton, who is on an 11-day trip to the continent.

On Friday, Clinton said the huge number of Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa proved failure on part of the leadership in Harare.

She stressed that Johannesburg could play a key role in convincing Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to honor the terms of the power-sharing agreement singed with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Clinton's seven-nation tour of Africa comes amid Obama's new policy of involving the continent in regional and global scene.
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