US secretary of state visits Western Australia
Updated
![Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith (L), invited Condoleezza Rice to Perth when the pair met in January this year. [AFP]](http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/img/news/base/aus_smith_afp_290108.jpg "Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith (L), invited Condoleezza Rice to Perth when the pair met in January this year. [AFP]")
Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith (L), invited Condoleezza Rice to Perth when the pair met in January this year. [AFP]
The American Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, is in the Western Australian captial, Perth.
She is in the country for a short, unofficial visit after attending a regional security forum in Singapore.
Dr Rice touched down on a US airforce jet with the foreign minister, Stephen Smith, and was greeted by the WA premier, Alan Carpenter, the immigration minister, Chris Evans, and the US ambassador.
The secretary of state is visiting as a personal guest of Mr Smith, and will not hold any official diplomatic talks while in Australia.
Dr Rice will meet troops from the Special Air Services regiment, where she will thank them for Australia's commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan.
She will also lay a wreath at the Kings Park war memorial before flying on to Auckland.
She'll leave for New Zealand later today.
