Washington - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cancelled plans to travel to the United Arab Emirates and will stay in Washington to deal with the global financial crisis, the State Department said Tuesday.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will take her place at the fifth annual Forum for the Future on Saturday and Sunday in Abu Dhabi, spokesman Sean McCormack said.

The forum is designed to strengthen the partnerships of Middle Eastern and North African governments and to promote democratic reforms and human rights.

Rice decided to remain in Washington to assist the Bush administration's effort to rescue the crumbling financial market that has prompted worries of a worldwide recession.

"She decided it was the right thing for her to stay back in Washington, should she be needed, and to pitch in, help out, with any of the international aspects of this," McCormack said. (dpa)