DHAKA: US state secretary John Kerry will return to the Middle East next week for talks with Palestinian and Israeli officials on the peace process.

A Palestinian official said on Saturday.

‘Mr Kerry has told the Palestinian Authority he will return to the region on January 4 to discuss the peace process and negotiations with Israel,’ the official told media on condition of anonymity, reports The Straits Times.

According to a well-informed Palestinian source, the US chief diplomat plans to stay in the Middle East for a ‘number of days’ in what would be his 10th visit to the region since March.

Kerry, who helped to launch nine-month direct talks between the two sides in July, insisted this month that concrete progress had been made in the peace talks.

BDST: 2116 HRS, DEC 28, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor