New US ambassador flies in

Washington’s new ambassador to the Philippines, Kristie Anne Kenney, is finally in town.

"I’m absolutely thrilled to be here. This is one of the most special countries for the US. We have such a long relationship and we feel very close as peoples. I can’t wait to see the country, meet all of you personally. I hope you share your views and your expertise with me," a smiling Kenney told reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on her arrival Friday night.

"Of course, my first conversation will be official once I present my credentials to the President and her government. But after that I look forward to seeing all of you. I hope you’ll be kind and generous with me," she said.

Kenney is the first woman to be nominated by Washington to occupy the top post at the US Embassy in Manila.

Bert Asuque, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman, said that the government was happy that a new US ambassador had been named.

The US Embassy has been without a chief of mission since the departure of Francis Ricciardone in May last year.

"(Foreign) Secretary (Alberto) Romulo is looking forward to meeting her next week prior to her presentation of credentials to President Arroyo," Asuque said.

Earlier, the Manila International Airport Authority asked airport reporters not to divulge the flight details for Kenney upon the request of the US Embassy for security reasons.

Kenney, who previously served as ambassador to Ecuador, is also a former senior adviser to the assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement at the US State Department.

She has also served as an economics officer at the US embassies in Switzerland and Argentina and as a consular officer in Jamaica.

The White House announced last November that US President George W. Bush intended to nominate Kenney to succeed Ricciardone.

Kenny’s nomination in July came at a time when Manila was under pressure from Washington to take vigorous steps to crack down on human trafficking, mostly of women, which Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has described as "nothing less than a modern form of slavery."

Press reports earlier indicated Kenney was Rice’s personal choice.

The US State Department said the Philippines does not fully comply with minimum standards to combat human trafficking and has failed to provide evidence of increasing efforts to fight the problem.

Kenney is also the first woman to hold the key position in the State Department, according to her biography posted on the State Department website.

Washington was reported to have nominated US Ambassador to South Africa Cameron Hume to replace Ricciardone.

But the US government withdrew Hume’s nomination because he was needed more in South Africa for his expertise in conflict resolution.

As a former executive secretary of the State Department, Kenney was responsible for inter-agency policy coordination and crisis management. She reported directly then Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Madeleine Albright. She also led the transition team from the Clinton to Bush administration.