TEL AVIV, Nov 7: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday Palestinians should soon have their own state, though she has made it clear she does not expect a breakthrough before Barack Obama moves into the White House.

“They are dignified people and I am certain the day is coming soon when they have a state that will be in accordance with that great national dignity,” she said after meeting Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah.

Ms Rice has nevertheless tacitly admitted that Israel and the Palestinians were unlikely to reach a peace deal by the time US President George W. Bush’s mandate ends on Jan 20, despite earlier pledges to seek agreement by the end of this year.

“The distance to peace has been narrowed although peace has not been achieved,” she said at Friday’s news conference.

The top US diplomat then headed to Jordan for a brief meeting over dinner with King Abdullah ahead of a summit between the international peace mediators in Egypt on Sunday.

In the absence of an accord, Ms Rice is pushing the two sides to define the outlines of a deal before she hands over the thorny Middle East dossier to an Obama administration.

“One of the things we must do is that we must show... that Annapolis has laid the foundation for the establishment of the state of Palestine,” she said.

Rice had played a key role in reviving the peace process at a conference in Annapolis, Marland, one year ago after a seven-year hiatus.

“The Annapolis process is vital, it is vibrant and it continues,” she said, even though little tangible process has been achieved.” —AFP