Hillary Clinton visits Haiti

Port-au-PRINCE/WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Haitian President Rene Preval Saturday at the Port-au-Prince airport to discuss US aid, which is already flowing into the earthquake-ravaged country.

She landed but did not travel beyond the airport to avoid using vehicles and other resources needed to deliver desperately needed water, food and other relief supplies. Her own plane was loaded with food, water and other goods.

Clinton and Preval met outside a tent, because the airport’s terminal building has been considered unsafe since Tuesday’s magnitude-7 quake.

Addressing the Haitian media, she said: “We are here at the invitation of your government to help you. As President Obama has said, we will be here today, tomorrow and for the time ahead.”

The Clinton visit seemed aimed at easing concerns about a massive US involvement in the rescue and relief effort.

“I believe that Haiti can come back even stronger and better in the future,” she said.