THE Foreign Office has formally confirmed the visit of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Blackburn and Liverpool this weekend.

She and the town's MP Jack Straw, her UK counterpart as Foreign Secretary, will deliver keynote addresses on international policy at Ewood Park.

Some details of the trip a return invitation from Mr Straw after he went to her home City of Birmingham, Alabama with Ms Rice last year are being kept secret for security reasons.

A formal statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London s released today said: "US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be visiting Liverpool and Blackburn on March 31 and April 1.

"The Foreign Secretary is delighted that Secretary Rice has accepted his invitation and is looking forward to showing her and the world two great places which reflect the thriving economic and cultural life of modern Britain.

"In Blackburn, they will visit a school and a major industrial state, meet civic, community and religious leaders and each will speak at an event organised by Chatham House and the Today Programme at Blackburn Rovers Football Ground.

"In Liverpool, they will go to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts and the Maritime Museum."