WASHINGTON, July 30: The State Department has warned its employee Margaret "Peggy" Kerry, sister of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, about her public activities in support of her brother's campaign after she reportedly disparaged elements of President George W. Bush's foreign policy in a speech this week, officials said Thursday.

"We have informed Ms Kerry of the rules and regulations on political activities and we will also draw her attention to the requirement to submit for department review her remarks on subjects related to the department's business," said Darla Jordan, a department spokeswoman.

Jordan said the department had not had prior knowledge of remarks Ms Kerry made in Boston on Monday ahead of the Democratic National Convention at an event sponsored by the National Organization for Women during which she reportedly pledged that her brother if elected would reverse many of Bush's anti-abortion policies.

Among the subjects Ms Kerry discussed in the speech was her brother's intention to restore 34 million dollars in US funding to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) that the Bush administration has cut due to concerns the agency promotes coerced abortions in China.

A second State Department official suggested that Ms Kerry's references to the UNFPA and her advocacy of US ratification of a UN treaty on women's rights opposed by the Bush administration might not have passed scrutiny had the remarks been submitted for review. Ms Kerry also reportedly said her brother would appoint only supporters of abortion rights to the US Supreme Court. -AFP