Kerry meets Palestinian leader Abbas on new Mideast peace mission

RAMALLAH - Agence France-Presse

Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah Dec. 12. REUTERS photo

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived on Dec. 12 in Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, in yet another attempt at promoting elusive Israeli-Palestinians peace talks.

Kerry arrived at the presidential office slightly late, as extreme weather - including snow storms - swept across Israel and the Palestinian territories, an AFP correspondent said.

The meeting lasted approximately two hours, a State Department official said, without providing any further details.

On Dec. 13, Kerry is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres before continuing to Jordan.

It is his ninth trip to Israel and the West Bank since March, and his second in less than a week.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said earlier this week the U.S. aim was "focused on a final deal" rather than an interim agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Nine-month direct talks were launched between the sides by Kerry in July.

Last week, he said "we are closer than we have been in years" to reaching a peace deal.

But Palestinians said Kerry's propositions on future security arrangements, which were presented to the Palestinian leadership last week, had provoked a "real crisis."