Hillary Clinton 'to be US foreign chief'

HILLARY Clinton is in the running to be the next Secretary of State, according to reports in the US today.

President-elect Barack Obama is said to be considering his former rival for the White House for the key position in his new administration.

Sources close to Mr Obama said he was "very serious" about offering Mrs Clinton the crucial role. Condoleezza Rice, the current Secretary of State, will step down when Mr Obama takes over from George Bush on 20 January.

ABC TV reported that a senior aide to Mrs Clinton, a New York senator, was asked yesterday if she would take the position if it was offered, and the aide replied: "I think so. What would you rather do - be senator or secretary of state?"

Rumours swept Washington that Mrs Clinton held a secret meeting with Mr Obama in his home town of Chicago yesterday.

There was no confirmation from either camp about any meeting, but Mrs Clinton had no official engagements yesterday. Her spokesman said the story was "speculation".

As Secretary of State, the head of the US State Department, Mrs Clinton would be responsible for foreign affairs. Not only would that involve Iraq and Afghanistan, but also the issue of peace in the Middle East. She would be one of the most powerful people in Mr Obama's administration and centre stage in world affairs.

Her selection could also mean a more hawkish foreign policy than that advocated by Mr Obama during his campaign. On her campaign trail, Mrs Clinton was more reluctant than Mr Obama to commit to a firm timetable for withdrawing US troops from Iraq.

Mrs Clinton was overlooked as a potential vice-president in favour of Joe Biden after she and Mr Obama fought a long and often acrimonious primary campaign to win the Democratic nomination.

Much to Mr Obama's relief, former US president Bill Clinton later urged his wife's large number of supporters to back the Illinois senator when her White House bid failed. The day before the election he campaigned with Mr Obama in Florida in a show of unity.

Giving her the job would also heal the bitter divisions in the Democratic Party caused by the primary infighting.

CNN reported this week that Mrs Clinton was asked if she would consider taking a post in the Obama administration. It did not sound as if she ruled it out.

Mrs Clinton said: "I am happy being a senator from New York, I love this state and this city. I am looking at the long list of things I have to catch up on and do. But I want to be a good partner and I want to do everything I can to make sure his agenda is successful."