Berlin - The choice of US Senator Hillary Clinton as secretary of state in the incoming administration of president-elect Barack Obama was generally met with accolades from world leaders Tuesday, but also some scepticism from governments that are generally critical of US policy. The Monday decision by Obama came as little surprise after weeks of speculation that he would tap Clinton, 61, for the job. Her announcement came at the same time as Obama announced he would retain Secretary of Defence Robert Gates in that position.
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso welcomed the appointment, noting with satisfaction that Clinton has in the past called US relations with Japan the linchpin of US strategy in Asia.
"I welcome the fact that the appointment went to the right person," Aso said. He added that he hopes to boost and deepen cooperation between the two countries.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi telephoned Hillary Clinton to offer his congratulations, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
The spokesman said Yang expressed satisfaction at the state of relations between the two countries and looked forward to developing ties further.
The government of Israel and the administration of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also welcomed the choice.
Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert issued a statement overnight congratulating Clinton and calling her a "friend of the state of Israel and the Jewish people."
"I am sure that, in her new position, she will continue to advance the special Israel-US relationship," he said.
Saeb Erekat, a top Abbas aide and Palestinian negotiator said: "Both the (US President George) Bush and Obama administrations are committed to the two-state solution," Erekat told dpa. "We hope that Madame Clinton will continue efforts to achieve the two-state solution."
However, there was some criticism of Clinton's selection from groups more critical of US policy.
Abbas' staunch rival, the radical Islamic Hamas movement ruling Gaza, said Clinton would display the same pro-Israeli bias as it charged previous US secretaries of state had in the past.
"We don't count on any foreign policy of the American administration, especially when dealing with the Middle East and the Palestinian cause," Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan said, adding "there is no difference between the successive administrations."
Additionally, state-run Iranian television IRIB said in a commentary Tuesday that appointing Clinton and keeping Gates showed that Obama had reneged on his proposal to radically change US foreign policy.
"In practice, Obama is gradually distancing himself from his idealistic slogan of change and de facto continuing the status quo of the US foreign and defence policies," said IRIB, which reflects the standpoint of the Iranian administration.
