WASHINGTON - HILLARY Clinton on Monday visited the State Department for the first time since president-elect Barack Obama named her as his choice for secretary of state, an official said.

Mrs Clinton received briefings about her new job and was to have dinner with her predecessor Condoleezza Rice at Dr Rice's Watergate apartment in Washington, the State Department official added on the condition of anonymity.

'Hillary visited the transition offices and had some briefings,' the official said, adding that Mrs Clinton did not see Dr Rice during her visit.

Dr Rice, who leaves her post when President George W. Bush steps down on January 20, predicted on Sunday that Mrs Clinton, who still has to be confirmed by the Senate, will 'do a great job' as her successor.

'She's terrific,' Dr Rice told ABC television.

'Hillary Clinton is someone of intelligence and she'll do a great job,' the top US diplomat said.

'She also has what's most important to be secretary of state, and that is that you love this country and you represent it from the basic of faith in its values, and I know that she will do that,' Dr Rice said.

Nine days after Mr Obama won the election, aides Ms Wendy Sherman and Mr Thomas Donilon made brief visit to the State Department transition offices.

The department has designated 24 staff members to work full time with the Obama team.

Dr Rice has pledged to ensure a 'smooth transition' of power to Mr Obama as her State Department set aside space and documents for his team.

The State Department last month showed reporters transition papers - some of them labeled secret and sensitive - that it will hand over to staff from the incoming Obama team.

Last week, the State Department, acting on behalf of the White House, asked some 170 ambassadors to tender their resignations in a routine move before Mr Obama is inaugurated as president, a State Department official said.

Many career ambassadors, including Gene Cretz who was confirmed last month as the first US ambassador to Libya in 36 years, will probably be asked to stay in their posts, the official said.

Around 34 per cent of the 170 ambassadors serving abroad are political appointees, the official said. These include the current ambassadors to London, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Paris and The Hague. -- AFP