Clinton's first meetings are with British, German foreign ministers

Feb 2, 2009, 19:31 GMT

Washington - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is to hold her first two meetings with counterparts since taking office on Tuesday, meeting with Britain's David Miliband and Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Iran and Afghanistan would likely top the agenda, as Clinton first meets with Miliband followed by her lunch with Steinmeier, US State Department officials said.

'I expect these will be very, very substantive meetings,' said State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood.

The meetings come a day before the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China) plus Germany meet in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss the nuclear situation with Iran.

In Berlin, the German foreign ministry said Steinmeier would also discuss the global economic crisis and energy security as well as the situation in Iraq with Clinton.

Another issue was expected to be whether Germany will agree to take in detainees released from the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

The US, which is looking to close the camp by the end of the year, has made no formal request to Germany. The government in Berlin is divided on the issue.

It is unclear whether the German foreign minister will meet US President Barack Obama during his 24-hour stay. The two first met in July last year when Obama visited Berlin as a presidential candidate.