Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. strategic outreach to the Asia Pacific region will be a top priority as Washington transitions away from a decade of military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Clinton told a gathering of U.S. diplomats in Washington on Tuesday the future of Asia will continue to be vital to U.S. interests, saying a government-wide effort is being made to develop new relationships there.
In her wide ranging speech at the Global Chiefs of Mission conference, Clinton outlined her priorities for American diplomatic efforts over the next year. She said U.S. diplomats will continue to focus on sustainable development programs around the world, help build a transparent and fair global economic system, and promote democracy in the Middle East and other developing areas.