Kerry's Focus on Mideast Peace Talks   05/24 07:22

   U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Israel's government should prevent 
further settlement construction, where possible, to help revitalize Middle East 
peace hopes.

   TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Israel's 
government should prevent further settlement construction, where possible, to 
help revitalize Middle East peace hopes.

   However, he isn't calling for a complete settlement freeze in lands 
contested by the Israelis and Palestinians.

   He says the focus should be on restarting direct Israeli-Palestinian 
negotiations that could finally set borders as part of a two-state agreement.

   Then, Kerry says, the issue of settlements would be resolved.

   Two months into his mediation effort, Kerry says he believe Mideast peace is 
possible.

   But he doesn't want the issue of settlements to prevent peace talks from 
happening, which has been the case for most of the past 4 years.


(KA)