LONDON - US SECRETARY of State Condoleezza Rice paid tribute to Hillary Clinton on Monday, saying she was an 'inspiration' and would 'bring enormous energy and intellect' as her successor at the State Department.

Asked about the expected appointment, Ms Rice said the US senator and former first lady 'is an inspiration to a lot of people, not just women.

'I know that she will bring enormous energy and intellect and skill to the position,' she said, adding that Clinton had a 'deep love for the United States of America.' 'I am very fond of her. She has worked very hard on behalf of the country,' Ms Rice said, adding that Mrs Clinton had comported herself very well during the Democratic presidential primaries in which she was defeated by Barack Obama.

She was speaking at a joint press conference in London with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, a short time before the expected announcement of Mr Obama's national security team in Washington.

Mr Miliband also said he looked forward to working with Mrs Clinton as US secretary of state. 'Obviously Senator Clinton brings enormous breadth of experience to her role,' he said.

'The quality that I would pick out is a determination to defy fatalism.

She's someone who believes that human effort can engineer change. I think that's a profoundly important quality that she shares with Secretary Rice,' he added.

But, complimenting Ms Rice on what is expected to be her last trip to London before leaving office, he told her: 'You will be a very hard act to follow, Madam Secretary.' -- AFP