Kerry to attend Iraq talks despite broken leg

Two weeks after falling off his bicycle in the French Alps, US Secretary of State John Kerry left a Boston hospital on crutches.

Kerry said he had continued to work on issues such as Iraq and Iran nuclear talks with his administration colleagues.

Surgeon Dr Dennis Burke said Kerry's recovery from surgery had been uncomplicated. "He is ambulating independently on crutches and working hard with physical therapy toward a full recovery, which we anticipate will occur in several months' time," Burke said in a statement.

"I head down to Washington next week. I had a long conversation today with the White House; yesterday with the president, as well as with my colleagues in the cabinet," Kerry said on Friday on the steps of Massachusetts General Hospital as he headed home.

"And we, I think, have been making some critical decisions that are going to move the process forward in Iraq," Kerry added. "I think in Tikrit we're going to see some very big progress shortly in terms of families moving back. I think on the Baiji refinery there's progress being made."

Kerry also plans to take part in the talks over Iran's nuclear program. "We had a long conversation today about Iran, and I talked to our team in Vienna. I will be absolutely, fully, and totally engaged in those talks. I am now. I haven't missed a tic. And I'll be traveling over there at the appropriate moment in the next days in order to press forward at this critical moment of the negotiations," Kerry said.

Kerry was initially treated in Geneva before being flown on a special plane to Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital for surgery. The injury to his leg happened close to where the 71-year-old's hip had been replaced.

jm/bk (dpa, AP)