Kerry Hopes Israel Elects Government That Will Promote Peace
Addressing the nuclear talks with Iran, U.S. secretary of state says that there are still 'important gaps' standing in the way of a deal.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Saturday he hopes Israel elects a government that can address the country's domestic needs and also "meets the hope for peace."
Kerry said the U.S. position for the past 50 years — among Democrats and Republicans alike — has been to support peace.
He said whatever decision Israeli voters make in the election Tuesday, he hopes there will be the chance to move forward on peace efforts afterward.
Kerry didn't want to say more during his news conference Saturday in Egypt — so that no one might misinterpret him as somehow interfering in the election process.
He spoke from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he attended an economic conference. He will travel to Switzerland on Sunday for nuclear talks with Iran.
Addressing the negotiations with Tehran, the secertary of state said that there are still "important gaps" standing in the way of a deal. Kerry said he can't say whether the U.S. and other world powers will be able to reach a framework deal with Iran before a March 31 deadline.
He said he needs to speak with Iran's foreign minister to assess the effects of a letter from Republicans in the U.S. Congress to Iran's leaders. The letter undermined the Obama administration's diplomatic effort, Kerry said.
Kerry also repeated the administration's stand that it wants the right deal with Iran, not any deal.
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