RAMALLAH, West Bank (REUTERS) - Israel and the Palestinians are making progress towards reaching a framework peace agreement but they are not there yet, United States Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters on Saturday.

Mr Kerry was speaking after about three hours of talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah, the Palestinian seat of government in the West Bank.

Mr Kerry is on his tenth trip to the region in the past year as he seeks to secure a peace deal. He said he would visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday to discuss the talks with King Abdullah.