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| John Kerry: talks with Netanyahu and Abbas 'very constructive' | John Kerry: talks with Netanyahu and Abbas 'very constructive' |
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| John Kerry, the US secretary of state, left Israel on Tuesday after what he described as "very constructive" talks separately with the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. But in an indication of the long haul ahead in his quest to get peace negotiations back on track, he said: "Doing it right is more important than doing it quickly." | John Kerry, the US secretary of state, left Israel on Tuesday after what he described as "very constructive" talks separately with the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. But in an indication of the long haul ahead in his quest to get peace negotiations back on track, he said: "Doing it right is more important than doing it quickly." |
| Kerry and Netanyahu had agreed "to do our homework over the course of the next weeks … with a view to seeing how we can really pull all of the pieces together and make some progress", he said. | Kerry and Netanyahu had agreed "to do our homework over the course of the next weeks … with a view to seeing how we can really pull all of the pieces together and make some progress", he said. |
| Kerry's three-day visit was part of a process of shuttle diplomacy that is expected to last at least three months. Talks between the two sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke down more than two and a half years ago. Kerry has been tasked by the US president, Barack Obama, with finding a way of resuming negotiations, amid scepticism and intransigence. | Kerry's three-day visit was part of a process of shuttle diplomacy that is expected to last at least three months. Talks between the two sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke down more than two and a half years ago. Kerry has been tasked by the US president, Barack Obama, with finding a way of resuming negotiations, amid scepticism and intransigence. |
| The secretary of state reportedly wants to bring the parties to four-way talks in Amman, which would include the US and Jordan. However, both sides want gestures from the other before they are prepared to meet. | The secretary of state reportedly wants to bring the parties to four-way talks in Amman, which would include the US and Jordan. However, both sides want gestures from the other before they are prepared to meet. |
| Ahead of a three-hour session with Kerry on Tuesday morning, Netanyahu stated that he was "determined not only to resume the peace process with the Palestinians, but to make a serious effort to end this conflict once and for all". | Ahead of a three-hour session with Kerry on Tuesday morning, Netanyahu stated that he was "determined not only to resume the peace process with the Palestinians, but to make a serious effort to end this conflict once and for all". |
| But he has refused to meet the Palestinians' key precondition of freezing settlement expansion, although it is thought that Israel may avoid announcing any new construction projects in the coming weeks. | But he has refused to meet the Palestinians' key precondition of freezing settlement expansion, although it is thought that Israel may avoid announcing any new construction projects in the coming weeks. |
| The Palestinians also want the release of 123 political prisoners who have been in jail since before the Oslo accords were signed almost 20 years ago, and for Israel to present a map showing proposed borders. | The Palestinians also want the release of 123 political prisoners who have been in jail since before the Oslo accords were signed almost 20 years ago, and for Israel to present a map showing proposed borders. |
| Israel wants the Palestinians to recognise it as a Jewish state; to halt unilateral initiatives in bodies such as the international criminal court (ICC); and to stop moves towards political reconciliation with the Islamist organisation Hamas. | Israel wants the Palestinians to recognise it as a Jewish state; to halt unilateral initiatives in bodies such as the international criminal court (ICC); and to stop moves towards political reconciliation with the Islamist organisation Hamas. |
| The Palestinians have reportedly agreed to suspend moves to take Israel to the ICC for up to 12 weeks. | The Palestinians have reportedly agreed to suspend moves to take Israel to the ICC for up to 12 weeks. |
| Kerry and Netanyahu discussed an undisclosed "economic initiative". But the secretary of state said: "We want to make it absolutely clear that whatever steps we take with respect to economics are in no way a substitute, but they are in addition to the political track. The political track is first and foremost; other things may happen to supplement it." | Kerry and Netanyahu discussed an undisclosed "economic initiative". But the secretary of state said: "We want to make it absolutely clear that whatever steps we take with respect to economics are in no way a substitute, but they are in addition to the political track. The political track is first and foremost; other things may happen to supplement it." |
| The Iranian nuclear programme was also on the agenda. Kerry stressed that the US was determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, saying Obama "doesn't bluff". He added: "We are serious, we are open to negotiation, but it is not an open-ended, endless negotiation. It cannot be used as an excuse for other efforts to try to break out with respect to a nuclear weapon." | The Iranian nuclear programme was also on the agenda. Kerry stressed that the US was determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, saying Obama "doesn't bluff". He added: "We are serious, we are open to negotiation, but it is not an open-ended, endless negotiation. It cannot be used as an excuse for other efforts to try to break out with respect to a nuclear weapon." |
| Netanyahu said Iran "has been using the talks to continue to advance its nuclear program … [Iran] cannot be allowed to continue its nuclear weapons programme, and we must not allow it to continue to do so in defiance of the entire international community." | Netanyahu said Iran "has been using the talks to continue to advance its nuclear program … [Iran] cannot be allowed to continue its nuclear weapons programme, and we must not allow it to continue to do so in defiance of the entire international community." |
| Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, is to make his first visit to Israel later this month. Hagel, whose appointment was opposed by some on the grounds that he was not sufficiently "pro-Israel", will meet his counterpart, Moshe Ya'alon, for discussions about Iran and further US funding for Israel's anti-missile defence systems. His visit is expected to last two days. | Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, is to make his first visit to Israel later this month. Hagel, whose appointment was opposed by some on the grounds that he was not sufficiently "pro-Israel", will meet his counterpart, Moshe Ya'alon, for discussions about Iran and further US funding for Israel's anti-missile defence systems. His visit is expected to last two days. |
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