Clinton vows strong U.S. Haiti effort

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HONOLULU, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed a strong response to the Haiti earthquake Wednesday, saying a military team had arrived to assess the damage.

Clinton, speaking in Honolulu, told reporters Washington was moving assets to Haiti but warned that chaotic conditions, widespread devastation and a lack of communication networks on the ground were hampering efforts to set up "a road map as to how we're going to be able to respond effectively."

Clinton indicated the military team would move to re-establish an air traffic control system for the Port-au-Prince airport as rescuers try to determine how best to enter the country.

She also said she was cutting short her tour of the Asia-Pacific region and was heading to the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii to use its communications capacity for the relief effort.

"You probably know we have 45,000 American citizens in Haiti," Clinton said. "They are our principal responsibility, to make sure that they're safe, to evacuate those who need medical care. The Coast Guard was able to get close to Port-au-Prince -- the port has some damage as well -- and through the use of helicopters, air-evacuated a number of American citizens."