While former U.S. president Bill Clinton was delivering a rousing speech at the Democratic National Convention, his wife, Hillary, was nearly 16,000 kilometers away fulfilling her duties as U.S. secretary of state.

Hillary Clinton was in the tiny nation of East Timor Thursday as part of a tour of five Pacific Asian nations and Russia. During a press conference with Prime Minister Kay Rala Gusmao, she said her husband was honored to nominate U.S. President Barack Obama to run as the party's candidate in the November general election.

But she said it was important for her not to be involved in the convention due to her position as America's chief diplomat.

“Officially, let me say that for decades secretaries of state have not attended political conventions because of the non-partisan nature of our foreign policy. I think it's a good rule. It's one that I certainly accepted. This is the first convention I have missed in many, many years.”

Clinton later watched a recording of her husband's address at the U.S. Embassy.

Mr. Obama defeated Hillary Clinton in the campaign for the Democratic nomination in 2008. But the Clinton's remain a potent political force in the party, leading many to predict she will make another White House bid in 2016.