LONDON, Feb. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said here Friday she would attend London's March international conference on Palestinian reforms and state-building.

    "I will be returning to London next month to participate in a meeting hosted by Prime Minister (Tony) Blair, at which we hope tomake significant strides towards securing a lasting peace for the people of the Palestinian territories and for the Israeli people,"she told a joint press conference with her British counterpart Jack Straw.

    Straw said the talks, set for March 1 and 2, would focus on helping Palestinians "build the institutions which they will need to build and govern a viable state." Enditem