A U.S. think tank says that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should more clearly articulate Washington's strategy for the six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program.

Clinton chose Asia for her first overseas trip after taking office about three weeks ago.

Her visit to South Korea, China, Japan and Indonesia will begin Monday.

The Heritage Foundation Klingner said Clinton “must reassure allies disturbed by the Bush administration's abandonment of important principles in its zeal to achieve North Korean denuclearization.”

In a report posted on the foundation’s Web site, researcher Bruce Klingner said the global economic crisis will top the agenda for Clinton’s meetings with Asian officials in her trip.

He also expected her to pay great attention to North Korea, which has threatened South Korea and is moving to test-fire a long-range missile.

Klingner said Clinton should reassure Asian allies of U.S. committment to the complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea and that Washington cannot accept the North as a nuclear state.