UpdateWashington shutdown a threat to America's standing, John Kerry warns

US Secretary of State John Kerry warned yesterday that the political stand-off paralysing Washington would weaken the country's standing abroad if it did not end soon, but reasserted America's commitment to Asia.

Kerry is standing in for President Barack Obama at a meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders after he cancelled a tour of Asia to tackle a budget crisis that has partially shut down the US government.

"I do want to make clear none of what is happening in Washington diminishes by one iota our commitment to our partners in Asia, including our efforts to promote trade and investment throughout the region," he said at the annual Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum.

Kerry said that in his meetings with foreign leaders in Nusa Dua in Bali he had encountered an understanding of the problems in Washington. "Everybody in the region understands ... everyone sees this as a moment in politics," he said.

As well as trying to reassure allies that Obama's "rebalancing" of US strategy towards Asia was unaffected, Kerry also had a strong message for Republicans back home. "I believe that those standing in the way [of a resolution] need to think long and hard about the message that we send to the world when we can't get our own act together," he said. "End it now, end it today."

Kerry warned that if the shutdown were prolonged or repeated, people would question the US ability to "stay the course".