Clinton cancels trip after Haiti quake

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

AAP

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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 told reporters 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."

Ms Clinton and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates have both cancelled plans to head to Canberra for annual foreign affairs and defence ministerial talks (AUSMIN) on Monday.

Ms Clinton indicated the cancellation would have no impact on an already close relationship with Australia.

"I talk to the foreign minister all the time. I know that Secretary Gates talks to his counterpart all the time," she said.

"So we have a very close consultative relationship and we will reschedule the AUSMIN as soon as we can."

Ms Clinton had intended to travel to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand too as part of her Asia-Pacific tour.

Both those visits would be rescheduled as well.

Ms Clinton had planned to meet Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Sunday and was due to visit Melbourne on Tuesday.

Canberra is set to announce assistance to Haiti after a deadly earthquake on the Caribbean nation.

Ms Clinton said the earthquake had been a disaster of "biblical" proportions.

She had initially been expected to shorten her visit rather than cancel it altogether.

Ms Clinton had also been due to visit Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.