> Powell as advisor to Obama?

An emotional former US secretary of state Colin Powell said Wednesday the presidential election victory of Barack Obama would go a long way toward repairing his country's painful racial divides.

"It's a historic day for the United States of America. President-elect Obama is a president for all America," Powell told journalists during a visit to Hong Kong, where he was invited to address a business school awards ceremony.

"We have not completely reconciled within my society, within my country. But what Mr Obama represents is the best of America."

Powell, a Republican who made history as the first black secretary of state under President George W. Bush and the first African-American to lead the US military, publicly endorsed Obama, a Democrat, late last month.

"He has run a campaign that is inclusive, and has reached black Americans, white Americans, Hispanic Americans -- every income level. He's reached across generations from young people to old people," he said.

"The fact that he's also black just has turned America on," said Powell, who then paused for a few seconds, before saying: "Very emotional."

Powell, the former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, recalled the desegregation of the US army by former president Harry Truman in 1948, and said the event had restored hope across America.

"The emotions you see in the US over this event today are the emotions you can see around the world. That's the America we remember, that's the America we want to see."

He said Obama would make tackling the problems of the US economy a priority, but added he was confident that Obama also recognises the importance of international trade.

"I do not expect that he will adopt protectionist policies," he said.

Powell said he expected Obama to reach across party lines, working with both his allies in the Democratic party and his Republican opponents.

The former secretary of state said he would be more than happy to advise the president-elect, but dismissed speculations that he would return as a formal member of the Obama administration.

"I am not interested in a position in the government, nor have I been offered one, nor do I expect to be offered one," he said - AFP.