Shalli, who was honoured with a 15-gun salute and inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Zimbabwe Defence Force, paid a four-day visit to Zimbabwe last week.

Early reports emerging from that conflict-ridden country indicated that talks included discussions around a defence pact, which also involves Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola helped the DRC repel Ugandan and Rwandan-backed rebels in 1998 under a SADC military intervention code-named 'Operation Sovereign Legitimacy'.

The Herald newspaper, the Zimbabwean government's official mouthpiece, reported yesterday that Shalli said Namibia was "neutral" in Zimbabwe's ongoing political stand-off, and backed the mediation efforts of South African President Thabo Mbeki.

"The Namibian Government's position is very clear.

It is not in our interest as Africa to interfere in another African country's internal affairs," Shalli told the Zimbabwean media.

However, he also told the media that Zimbabwe remained a member of the international community "and the region will assist it through its problems".

Shalli toured the Zimbabwe army staff college where at least 52 NDF senior officers were trained and was honoured with a 15-gun salute and an official dinner.

Official reports said Shalli was briefed on security issues and the roles and operations of the ZDF.

However, sources said there were also talks about how Namibia could assist if things got out of hand.

Shalli's visit came hot on the heels of a top Angolan army official to Harare.

He said Namibia and Zimbabwe must continue to foster and strengthen the cordial relations shared between the two countries.

"The relationship between Namibia and Zimbabwe is growing from strength to strength.

We share so many things.

We have so many things in common.

We would want to build on that relationship," Shalli told the Zimbabwean media.

His visit came amidst growing calls in Namibia for President Pohamba to disassociate Namibia from President Robert Mugabe's atrocities in Zimbabwe.

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