The White House said Wednesday that Karen Hughes, undersecretary of state for US public diplomacy and a long-time confidante of US President George W. Bush, had decided to resign.

"I can confirm that Karen Hughes has decided that, after 12 years of government service, that she is going to go back to Texas by the end of the year," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Hughes was sworn in as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy in September 2005 and her main mission is to try to improve the negative image of the United States around the world following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Hughes was once counselor to President Bush in his early years in the White House and is considered as Bush's long-time confidante.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2007)