Kerry 'encouraged' by progress in Mideast peace talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted today concrete progress has been made in peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, but said details will be kept under wraps.
Kerry, who has made nine trips to the Middle East since March and helped launch nine-month direct talks between the two sides in July, said talking about any agreements could be counterproductive.
"I'm personally encouraged that very tough issues are beginning to take shape," he said in an interview with ABC's "This Week."
"But we've agreed not to be talking about what we're doing because it just creates great expectations. It creates pressure. It creates opposition, in some cases.

"I think it's much better for us to do exactly what we've been doing, which is negotiate quietly and privately," he continued.
Israeli and Arab media reports say the plan envisaged by Washington would see Israel maintain a military presence on the border after a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
An international force would be acceptable to the Palestinians, but Israel opposes such a solution.
Israel has always insisted that a continued military presence on the frontier would be vital for its security for some 10-15 years after Palestinian statehood.