Hillary Clinton pledges "smart power" over military force.

Incoming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has vowed to use force only as a last resort in a new era of US foreign policy. Instead she advocated a "smart power" mix of diplomacy and defence on international issues during a confirmation hearing with her Senate colleagues. Mrs Clinton, one of Barack Obama's toughest rivals in the presidential race who he then chose as his future Secretary of State, was expected to be approved for the post and could be confirmed in the role by the full Senate as early as his inauguration on January 20. She answered questions from Senator John Kerry, the new chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, on a number of thorny diplomatic issues for the US including, Iran, North Korea, Russia and the Middle East. She also spoke on relations with Cuba, telling the committee that the new US administration's policy was "first and foremost about the freedom of the Cuban people and the bringing of democracy to the island of Cuba." "We hope that the regime in Cuba, both Fidel and Raul Castro, will see this new administration as an opportunity to change some of their typical approaches," she added. President-elect Obama has said he would be willing to meet Cuban leader Raul Castro without preconditions, and would ease restrictions on family-related travel and on money Cuban-Americans want to send to their families in Cuba. The US has no diplomatic relations with Cuba and lists the country as a "state sponsor of terrorism." The US trade embargo, imposed in 1962, has been tightened during President George W Bush's two terms. On the Middle East conflict in Gaza, Mrs Clinton said that the Obama administration had no plans to negotiate with Hamas. Mrs Clinton reiterated the US stance and said there would be no negotiations with the Gaza rulers "until it renounces violence, recognises Israel and agrees to abide by past agreements."

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ITN | January 14, 2009

Tags:. .preconditions. .cubanamericans. .foremost. .diplomacy. .fidel