Washington - Former presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton has refused to address speculation that president-elect Barack Obama will tap her to become his top diplomat.

"I'm not going to speculate about the president-elect's incoming administration," Clinton told a gathering in New York, adding that any questions should be directed to Obama's transition team.

There had been leaks from the Obama camp to the US media that Clinton is among the candidates under consideration for secretary of state. Other names are Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, who was the 2004 presidential nominee for the Democrats, and and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.

Richard Holbrooke, who served as ambassador to the United Nations under Bill Clinton and retiring Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican highly critical of the Bush administration's war in Iraq, are also believed to be on the short list.

Appointing Clinton to head the State Department would immediately bring a high-profile figure into his cabinet and further help heal wounds among Democrats over the dragged out contest for the party's nomination.

Many Democrats who supported the former first lady refused to back Obama's candidacy for the White House.

NBC News had reported that Clinton on Thursday was in Chicago, where Obama's transition team is headquartered. (dpa)