This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21185377

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
John Kerry sails through Senate confirmation hearing John Kerry eyes revival of Middle East peace talks
(about 2 hours later)
US Senator John Kerry has said America will do what it must to stop a nuclear Iran, at a friendly hearing for his confirmation as secretary of state. US Senator John Kerry has warned that a failure of a two-state solution in the Middle East would be "disastrous", at his confirmation hearing as secretary of state.
President Barack Obama nominated Sen Kerry, 69, to replace Hillary Clinton at the helm of the state department. But Sen Kerry said he believes there is a "way forward" on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Massachusetts Democrat is expected to win easy confirmation. US-brokered peace talks in the Middle East broke down in 2010.
Sen Kerry was Mr Obama's second choice, after UN Ambassador Susan Rice became embroiled in controversy over a raid on a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Sen Kerry sailed through his hearing to replace Hillary Clinton at the helm of the state department.
A Vietnam veteran and a senator since 1985, Sen Kerry was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, losing the election to George W Bush. A Vietnam veteran and a senator since 1985, he was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, losing the election to George W Bush.
He is chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, which is conducting Thursday's hearing. The session is led by Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey. 'Disastrous'
'The right choice' He is chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, which conducted Thursday's hearing. It was led instead by Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey.
Sen Kerry said the US was "totally" committed to enforcing US sanctions against Iran. Sen Kerry warned "the window or door on a two-state solution could shut - and that would be disastrous for all concerned".
"The president has made it definitive," he said, "we will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "Perhaps this can be a moment where we can renew some kind of effort to get the parties into a discussion to have a different track than we have been on over the last couple of years," he said, adding that it was unclear what government would emerge from Israel's recent election.
"I repeat here today: our policy is not containment. It is prevention and the clock is ticking on our efforts to secure responsible compliance." The Massachusetts senator did not give details of possible plan, saying he did not want to prejudice any new effort.
During the five-hour hearing, Sen Kerry also said "we will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon".
"I repeat here today: our policy is not containment. It is prevention and the clock is ticking on our efforts to secure responsible compliance," he told the panel.
He said he hoped the US and its allies would maintain diplomatic pressure against Iran, but said Iran had to prove its nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.He said he hoped the US and its allies would maintain diplomatic pressure against Iran, but said Iran had to prove its nuclear programme was solely for peaceful purposes.
Sen Kerry was introduced by current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Republican Senator John McCain and new Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Sen Kerry also spoke about American efforts to strengthen its relationship with China, saying it would be "a tough slog". And he described himself as a "passionate advocate" on battling global warming.
"John is the right choice," Mrs Clinton told the panel, as she warmly praised her designated successor. "He will bring a record of leadership and service that is exemplary." 'The right choice'
He was introduced by Mrs Clinton, Republican Senator John McCain and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.
"John is the right choice," Mrs Clinton said of her designated successor. "He will bring a record of leadership and service that is exemplary."
Her recommendation was immediately echoed by Sen McCain.Her recommendation was immediately echoed by Sen McCain.
"Witnessing almost daily his exemplary statesmanship is one of the highest privileges I've had here," he said."Witnessing almost daily his exemplary statesmanship is one of the highest privileges I've had here," he said.
After service as a naval officer in Vietnam, during which he was wounded on a riverine combat patrol, Sen Kerry graduated from law school at Boston College. Sen Kerry's nomination as secretary of state opens his Massachusetts Senate seat.
He served as a prosecuting attorney before entering politics. After a stint as lieutenant governor of Massachusetts he was elected to the Senate in 1984. The place will temporarily be filled by appointment by Democratic Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. A special election will follow within months.
Sen Kerry's expected ascent to secretary of state opens his Senate seat. The seat will temporarily be filled by appointment by Democratic Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick; a special election will follow within months. Sen Kerry was Mr Obama's second choice, after UN Ambassador Susan Rice became embroiled in controversy over last September's raid on a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
Ms Rice's nomination became bogged down amid fierce opposition from Sen McCain and other Republican senators. Republican senators accused her of deliberately misleading the American people over the nature of the attack, which left four Americans dead.
They accused her of misleading the American people over the nature of an attack on 11 September last year against the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in which four Americans were killed. The Obama administration angrily rejected the claims, but Ms Rice withdrew her name from consideration for secretary of state.
Days after the raid, Ms Rice said on a chat show that the attack had grown out of an anti-American protest outside the consulate.
Officials have since said her account was inaccurate, that the raid was a planned attack by militants, but Ms Rice denied being intentionally misleading.