Hillary Clinton to raise issue of Zimbabwe with Zuma

Clinton, who is expected to arrive in South Africa on Thursday, told journalists in Nairobi, Kenya that she will raise the Zimbabwe issue with South African President Jacob Zuma, who is also Chairman of the regional SADC bloc.
Zuma earlier this week, following his meeting with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in Johannesburg, said he was going to contact Mugabe over delays in implementing the power-sharing accord signed in February.

The South African President said while some progress has been made in implementing the agreement, the remaining problems were difficult, but very weighty.
Tsvangirai said he hoped Zuma will do everything in his power to move forward in a positive way. Zuma will also contact other leaders in the SADC bloc who helped broker Zimbabwes Global Political Agreement.

Clinton will meet Zuma in Durban on Saturday, but is due to meet the International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on Friday.
I do intend to speak not only with President Zuma but other members of his government about what more South Africa believes can be done to strengthen the reform movement inside Zimbabwe, alleviate the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe, and try to use its influence to mitigate against the negative effects of the continuing Presidency of President Mugabe,” said Clinton at a news conference in Nairobi.
Zuma has taken a harder line on Zimbabwe than his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, but the United States would like the new South African President to do more to quicken the pace of reform in Zimbabwe.

The United States, troubled by what it sees as an absence of reform in Zimbabwe, has no plans either to offer major aid or to lift sanctions against Mugabe and some of his supporters.
Targeted US sanctions include financial and visa restrictions against selected individuals, a ban on transfers of military items, and a suspension of non-humanitarian aid.