U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged U.S. support Tuesday to earthquake-stricken Chile during the third stop on her six-nation tour of Latin America.
Clinton told reporters in Santiago the United States stands ready to help Chile in any way the government needs.
Speaking alongside Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Clinton said the U.S. is "grateful" for what Chile did in Haiti after that country's devastating earthquake earlier this year. She said the Chilean rescue teams were "some of the best" in the world.
During her brief visit to the Chilean capital, Secretary Clinton is holding talks with Chile's president-elect, Sebastian Pinera, who takes office next week.
Secretary Clinton also brought much-needed satellite phones to the country. Other details of U.S. aid are being discussed during Clinton's visit.
On Monday, Clinton met in Buenos Aires with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who asked for help mediating Argentina's dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands.
Clinton said the U.S. will encourage both nations to engage in diplomacy, but will not commit to a more involved role.
Clinton began her trip in Uruguay.
Her next stop is Brazil, where on Wednesday she plans to urge President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to join the United States in supporting new U.N. sanctions against Iran because of its nuclear program.
She also plans to visit Costa Rica and Guatemala before heading back to the United States.
The U.S. takes a neutral position on the competing claims over the British-held Falkland Islands, which are nearly 500 kilometers from the South American coast. Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the Falklands, which it refers to as Las Malvinas. It seized the islands in April 1982, and held them for two months until British forces retook control.
Source:voanews.com/
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