Rice calls Benazir over Pakistan bomb blasts

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Benazir Bhutto on Sunday to condemn last week's suicide bombings that targeted the former Pakistan premier, her party said.
Rice "expressed sympathy over the loss of innocent lives" in the bombings during Benazir Bhutto's homecoming parade that killed 139 people, her Pakistan People's Party said in a statement.
"Ms Rice said that she was heartened that Benazir Bhutto escaped the assassination attempt," the statement said.
Rice condemned the attack and expressed her sympathies to the families of the victims, it said.
The Western-friendly Benazir Bhutto said earlier Sunday she planned to stay in Pakistan to campaign ahead of general elections in January, seen as a key step to restoring civilian rule in the country of 160 million.
The US has backed a proposed power-sharing pact between Benazir Bhutto and embattled President Pervez Musharraf, a key US ally in the "war on terror", ahead of the elections.