WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Obama administration would work with ascendant Islamist parties of the Muslim world, answering one of the central U.S. policy questions resulting from the Arab Spring.

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Addressing the National Democratic Institute, Clinton on Monday said the ouster of Egypt's Hosni Mubarak made clear that long-term support for democracy outlasts short-term advantages through alliances with authoritarian regimes.

Her report card on the Arab Spring comes at a time when the euphoria of the successful revolutions from Egypt to Libya is giving way to the hard and unprecedented work of creating stable democracies.

Addressing fears over the rise of Islamist parties, Clinton said the U.S. would judge these groups on whether they respect democracy, women's rights and other fundamental values.