US 'regrets' release of documents by WikiLeaks

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the US "deeply regrets" the release of lakhs of confidential documents by WikiLeaks and described it as an attack not only against her country, but the global community.

A day after after WikiLeaks released 2.5 lakh confidential cables, Clinton said the whistle-blower website acted "illegally" by posting the material online. She said the US is taking "aggressive steps" to hold those responsible for release of confidential documents and to prevent such incidents from recurring.

However,

she said, "I will not comment on or confirm what are alleged to be stolen State Department cables."

"But I can say that the United States deeply regrets the disclosure of any information that was intended to be confidential, including private discussions between counterparts or our diplomats' personal assessments and observations," she said.

"I want to make it clear that our official foreign policy is not set through these messages... I am confident that the partnership built by the Obama Administration will withstand the challenge," she said.