ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday world powers would pursue further talks with Iran to resolve a decade-old dispute over its nuclear program, but stressed the process could not go on forever.

World powers and Iran failed again to bridge the gap at weekend talks in Kazakhstan, prolonging a stand-off that could yet spiral into a new Middle East war. No new talks were scheduled between Iran and the six powers.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will press Turkey on Sunday to quickly normalize relations with Israel, keep its border with Syria open to refugees and improve ties with Iraq, a senior U.S. official said.

Kerry arrived in Istanbul some two weeks after U.S. President Barack Obama brokered a rapprochement between Turkey and Israel, whose relations were shattered by the killing of nine Turkish citizens in a 2010 Israeli naval raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

KABUL (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday met Afghan businesswomen running companies involved in everything from trucking to computer software who fear losing their rights, security and customers when foreign forces leave next year.

Kerry spent close to an hour at the U.S. embassy in Kabul with the entrepreneurs in an effort to show U.S. commitment to women’s rights – at one point heading a soccer ball with a 22-year-old female player.

KABUL (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made a show of unity with Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a short visit to Afghanistan on Monday, following weeks of heightened tensions between the two countries.

Kerry made the unannounced visit to Afghanistan in order to discuss a host of issues including attempts to stabilise the country before most foreign troops leave by the end of 2014, the transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces and Afghanistan’s elections, a U.S. official told reporters.

KABUL, March 25 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John
Kerry paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday for
talks with President Hamid Karzai, a U.S. official said, with
both sides hoping to stabilise the country before most foreign
troops leave by the end of 2014.

Kerry and Karzai will discuss a host of issues including
Afghan reconciliation, the transfer of security responsibility
to Afghan forces and Afghanistan’s elections, the U.S. official
told reporters.

KABUL (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry paid an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Monday for talks with President Hamid Karzai, a U.S. official said, with both sides hoping to stabilize the country before most U.S.-led NATO combat troops leave by the end of 2014.

Kerry and Karzai will discuss a host of issues including Afghan reconciliation, the transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces and Afghanistan’s elections, the official told reporters.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday to stop Iranian flights over Iraq from carrying arms to Syria during a visit to the Iraqi capital.

Kerry also urged Iraq’s Sunni Muslim, Shi’ite and ethnic Kurdish factions to commit to the political process as the country’s precarious intercommunal balance comes under growing strain from the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Sunday and will urge Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to make sure Iranian flights over Iraq do not carry arms and fighters to Syria, a U.S. official said.

Washington believes such flights and overland transfers take place nearly every day and help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his efforts to crush a two-year-old revolt against his rule, said the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Sunday and will urge Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to make sure Iranian flights over Iraq do not carry arms and fighters to Syria, a U.S. official said.

Washington believes such flights and overland transfers take place nearly every day and help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his efforts to crush a two-year-old revolt against his rule, said the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

AMMAN (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had “useful” separate talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday, a senior U.S. State Department official said.

The official gave no details on the meetings, which followed President Barack Obama’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories this week in which he called for fresh diplomatic efforts, but offered no new peace proposals of his own.