US SECRETARY of State Hillary Clinton has spoken by phone to Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to explain her decision to cancel her first official visit to Australia to head home to deal with the Haiti disaster.
Speaking in Hawaii, Ms Clinton said Mr Smith had been very understanding of the decision.
"Thankfully, these are very good friends and they know that we wouldn't be cancelling were it not for something of this magnitude," she said.
"When I talked to the Foreign Minister, he was very understanding.
"I told him we would try to reschedule as soon as we can find a mutually convenient time."