国际英语新闻：Clinton marks year as Secretary of State

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday marked her first year as the government's top diplomat in a town hall style meeting with department employees, promising to elevate the status of diplomacy and development in the U.S. government alongside defense.

"We began with the idea of smart power, elevating diplomacy and development alongside defense," Clinton said, promising employees she would use her influence in the administration and Congress to obtain greater resources for diplomacy.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a town hall meeting marking one year at the State, at the Department of State in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Jan. 26, 2010

She said development in the 21st century will be guided by partnership, not patronage, echoing a speech earlier this month in which she pledged to work with developing countries in development.

Clinton was sworn in as Secretary of State on January 21, 2009, after eight years as the first lady, eight years as U.S. Senator of New York, and an unsuccessful, although close, bid to become the first female president of the United States.

She defended the administration's disaster relief efforts in Haiti, portraying it as an example of the emphasis on development.

She also criticized Nigeria, which is home to the Christmas plane bombing suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, saying the country "faces a threat from increasing radicalization."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a town hall meeting marking one year at the State, at the Department of State in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Jan. 26, 2010.