John Kerry hosts Afghan-Pakistan talks in Belgium

US Secretary of State John Kerry has hosted talks near Brussels between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani military chief Ashfaq Kayani.

Ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been strained over links between the Afghan Taliban rebels and Pakistan.

Following the talks, Mr Kerry said progress had been made.

But there is no sign that either side is ready to make concessions before Nato's withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014, says the BBC's David Loyn.

Mr Kerry met the officials at Truman Hall on the outskirts of the Belgian capital.

Following the three-hour long meeting, he said: "It's fair to say that there is a good feeling among all of us that we made progress in this dialogue."

But he added: "We have a lot of homework to do. We are not going to raise expectations or make promises that can't be delivered."

The talks come a day after Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen called on Pakistan to combat militants who used the country as a launch-pad for attacks on Afghanistan.

Mr Rasmussen said: "We need a positive engagement of Pakistan if we are to ensure long-term peace and stability not only in Afghanistan, but in the region."

The 100,000 remaining Nato International Security Assistance Force soldiers are due to be withdrawn by the end of 2014, after which Nato says its role in the country will essentially be a training one.

Leaked report

A secret Nato report on Islamabad's links to the Afghan Taliban, leaked in February, said the Taliban were being helped by Pakistani security services.

The report - based on the interrogations of 27,000 captured Taliban, al-Qaeda and foreign fighters as well as civilians - said Pakistan was aware that Taliban leaders were taking refuge within its borders.

Senior Taliban figures such as Nasiruddin Haqqani were housed close to Pakistani intelligence headquarters in Islamabad, added the report, entitled State of the Taliban.

Pakistan has denied the claims, saying it has no hidden agenda in Afghanistan.

For its part, Pakistan says Afghanistan gives safe haven to militants on its side of the border.

Afghanistan wants Pakistan to use its influence over the Taliban to bring them to the negotiating table, and stop militants crossing the border.