Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s choice of Asia as the destination for her inaugural tour gave recognition to the significance of U.S. alliances and strategic interests in the region. From February 16–22, Secretary Clinton visited Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China. Highly publicized, each capital stop had a similar agenda, focusing on common approaches to the challenges facing the international community—namely the financial markets turmoil, humanitarian issues, security, and climate change. With a few exceptions, the words “North Korea” were strikingly absent from her trip’s primary agenda—perhaps a deliberate message to the region that the United States’ interests there run deeper than the North Korean “issue.”

However, the trip was not uneventful with regards to North Korea and the Six Party Talks. Below are some of the key statements and events from Clinton’s trip that carry significance for the future of the Six Party process.