Kabul , Afghanistan ( CNN ) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton flew to Afghanistan early Saturday as part of a 13-day trip that will tackle some of the thorniest U.S. foreign policy issues . Clinton was in Kabul on a previously unannounced visit and will meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai . During the trip , the top U.S. diplomat also will meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders , visit Egypt , where tensions are rife between military and civilian leaders , and attend a conference of leading Asia-Pacific nations , the region of increasing strategic focus for the United States . In Paris , the first stop of the trip , Clinton attended a meeting Friday of the Friends of Syria , a group of more than 60 countries that aims to find a solution to the Syrian crisis . Clinton lambasted Russia and China on Friday for blocking efforts to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad , who has lost a key general to defection . Clinton will travel to Tokyo to attend a conference Sunday about providing future financial support for reconstruction and development in war-torn Afghanistan . NATO-led troops have been fighting against Islamic militants in Afghanistan for more than 10 years , and the country still has a strong dependency on foreign aid . Poverty and corruption are widespread in Afghanistan , which came in 172nd out of 187 countries in the United Nations ' 2011 Human Development Index , which ranks nations based on life expectancy , education and living standards . The conference in Tokyo will address Afghanistan 's likely financial needs for the period starting in 2015 , the time troops from the United States and other coalition members are expected to have withdrawn from the country . At the start of next week , Clinton will make stops in Mongolia , a resource-rich but economically underdeveloped neighbor of China and Russia ; and Vietnam , which is locked in territorial dispute with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea . She also will visit Laos , a small communist-ruled nation in Southeast Asia that has not been visited by a U.S. secretary of state in 57 years . She will then spend the second half of next week in Cambodia , where senior officials from countries like China , Indonesia and Myanmar are attending meetings organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations . In Asia , the Obama administration has tried to find a balance between engaging with Beijing while seeking to contain its growing influence . Fostering stronger ties with China 's neighbors is a crucial part of this approach . On July 14 , Clinton will travel to Egypt to express support for the country 's `` democratic transition and economic development , '' said Nuland , the state department spokeswoman . But it 's a transition that some in Egypt fear may last indefinitely . Mohamed Morsi was sworn in Saturday as Egypt 's first democratically-elected president , taking the helm of a deeply divided nation that is economically strapped and lacks a working government . His inauguration was overseen by Egypt 's military rulers , who have been in control of the country since Hosni Mubarak was ousted last year during a popular revolution . The generals dissolved the Egyptian parliament last month after a high court ruled that it was unconstitutional . They also named a defense council to oversee national security and foreign policies . Morsi has suggested that control of legislative powers should return to civilian hands , and some of his supporters are pushing for a confrontation with the military rulers . Clinton will wrap up her trip with a visit to Israel , where she will meet the country 's leadership to talk about `` peace efforts and a range of regional and bilateral issues of mutual concern . '' High among those matters is likely to be Iran and its controversial nuclear program . Western powers are concerned that Iran is developing nuclear weapons even though Tehran insists the program is for peaceful , civilian energy purposes . Israel has said it may attack Iran to halt the program . It has expressed skepticism that the mixture of sanctions and negotiations being pursued at the moment by the United States and European nations is deterring Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons . CNN 's Jethro Mullen contributed to this report .
NEW : Secretary of state arrives in Afghanistan . Clinton 's 13-day trip will involve key Middle Eastern and Asian issues . She will visit Egypt , as well as meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders . In Tokyo , she will attend a conference about Afghanistan 's future .