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Kerry warns Iran time for nuclear talks is limited | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Iran that talks on its nuclear programme cannot last forever, after a new round failed to make progress. | |
"This is not an interminable process," he said after arriving in Istanbul, at the start of a 10-day trip to the Middle East, Europe and Asia. | |
World powers failed to make headway at two days of talks with Iran in Almaty. | |
Mr Kerry also called on Turkey and Israel to restore good relations without delay. | |
After Turkey, Mr Kerry is due to visit Israel, the West Bank, the UK, South Korea, China and Japan. | |
'Painful task' | |
Mr Kerry said President Barack Obama was committed to continuing the diplomatic process with Iran despite what he called the complicating factor of elections there in June. | |
"Diplomacy is a painful task," the secretary of state said, "and a task for the patient." | |
No new round of talks was scheduled after the negotiations in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which ended on Saturday. | |
World powers suspect Iran of pursuing a covert nuclear weapons programme. | |
Tehran, which insists its intentions are peaceful, is negotiating with the so-called P5+1 group comprising the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Russia, China, the UK and France - plus Germany. | |
'Back on track' | |
After recently helping broker a reconciliation between Turkey and Israel, Mr Kerry said: "We would like to see this relationship that is important to stability in the Middle East and critical to the peace process... get back on track in its full measure.'' | |
That, he told reporters in Istanbul, meant promises of "compensation be fulfilled, ambassadors be returned and full relations be embraced". | |
Mr Kerry met Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and was also due to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. | |
America's top diplomat will also encourage Turkey to continue admitting civilians fleeing the conflict in Syria, following reports - denied by Turkey - that some Syrians had recently been deported after unrest at a border camp. | |
More than 1.2 million people have fled to neighbouring countries since the unrest in Syria began two years ago, according to UN figures. | More than 1.2 million people have fled to neighbouring countries since the unrest in Syria began two years ago, according to UN figures. |
At least 250,000 are in Turkey. | |
Both Turkey and the US oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with Turkey holding that the West should do more to help the Syrian opposition. | Both Turkey and the US oppose Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with Turkey holding that the West should do more to help the Syrian opposition. |
Afghan deaths | |
The start of Mr Kerry's trip was overshadowed by the death of six Americans, along with an Afghan doctor, in two attacks in Afghanistan. | |
The Americans included a foreign service officer who had acted as Mr Kerry's guide during his recent visit to Kabul. | |
Anne Smedinghoff, 25, had been delivering books to students in southern Zabul province. | |
She was the first US diplomat killed in service since last year's attacks in the Libyan city of Benghazi. | |
Speaking to US consulate workers in Istanbul, Mr Kerry said Ms Smedinghoff's death was a "grim reminder... of how important, but also how risky, carrying the future is". | Speaking to US consulate workers in Istanbul, Mr Kerry said Ms Smedinghoff's death was a "grim reminder... of how important, but also how risky, carrying the future is". |