Hillary Clinton to visit Australia for security talks

CANBERRA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith announced on Thursday that United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Australia next week to discuss regional security and defense issues.

She will be accompanied by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The pair will meet with Smith and Defense Minister John Faulkner on Jan. 18, to hold the annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations.

"The 2010 talks will address shared global and regional interests," Smith said in a statement.

"Following closely President Obama's recently announced revised strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Australia and the United States will discuss their commitment to both countries."

Joint counter-terrorism efforts will also be discussed "in the wake of the failed terrorist attack on a U.S. airliner".

Clinton will first visit Papua New Guinea and New Zealand before her arrival in Canberra on Jan. 17.