Kerry holds talks with Palestinian president, reports progress

US Secretary of State John Kerry held talks on Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his bid to kick-start the Palestinian-Israeli peace process. Abbas’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeineh, who attended the meeting along with PLO Executive Committee member Saeb Erekat, said the Palestinian leader reiterated the firm Palestinian position of an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. He said Kerry, who earlier met Israeli leaders as part of his shuttle diplomacy, briefed Abbas on the outcome of his latest contacts, which he pledged to follow up on. Kerry said he made headway in his talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders to relaunch the peace talks, adding: “We agreed that we made real progress, but we still have some matters that need work.”