Obama relationship top priority: Smith

Establishing personal relationships with the new Obama administration will be the Rudd government's top foreign policy priority in 2009.
The new administration will take over on January 20 with the inauguration of US president-elect Barack Obama.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said on Friday that while the alliance between Australia and the United States was enduring, personal contacts were important too.
"In the first instance (the priority) will be establishing the personal contact with the new Obama administration," he told Sky News.
"We've often made the point that administrations and governments in Australia and the United States come and go and the alliance is enduring and continues, but you do need to establish those personal contacts.
"We need to bed down the working relationships of the alliance."
Next on the agenda was the problems in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
One of the first bilateral issues between the new Obama government and Australia is likely to be a request for more troops in Afghanistan.
Mr Smith also singled out Australia's relationship with its Pacific neighbours and expanding the relationship with Africa as other key priorities.