Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said here on Thursday his country welcomed the confirmation of Hillary Clinton as U.S. secretary of state in the new administration of President Barack Obama.
Secretary Clinton, who was confirmed on Thursday, "brings a wealth of experience, expertise and dedication to the role," he said in a statement.
He said he also looked forward to working closely with Secretary Clinton through regular Australia-U.S. ministerial consultations.
"Australia could have no better partner than Secretary Clinton in advancing the causes of peace and prosperity in our own region and globally in the years ahead," Smith said.
"Australia and the U.S. are key security and economic partners both in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. We have a close and productive relationship across all areas of mutual endeavor," Smith added.