US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the time has come for establishing a Palestinian state and it is in the interest of all parties to do so. Rice made the comments on Monday at a joint news conference in Ramallah after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. "... it's time for the establishment of a Palestinian state, and it's time for Israel to live in the security that is going to come with a peaceful and democratic neighbor. It's time for Palestinians to have their own state." For his part, Abbas has reiterated that the final status talks with Israel must be launched after a US-sponsored international peace conference next month. Rice is on a four-day shuttle mission, trying to create some common ground ahead of the Mideast meeting. | 