Making a statement on the peace initiative with Pakistan, Vajpayee said he had discussed ways of carrying forward bilateral relations during the telephone call he received from Pakistani Prime Minister Mir Zaffarullah Khan Jamali on April 28.

During the phone chat, Vajpayee said he emphasized the importance of economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, people-to-people contacts and civil aviation links.

"We are committed to the improvement of relations with Pakistan and we are willing to grasp every opportunity for doing so," he said.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri Friday hailed India’s decision to appoint its High Commissioner to Islamabad and to restore civil aviation links, saying Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali will "respond in a concrete form" to the offer.

Pakistan's foreign ministry called Vajpayee's announcement "a good step in the right direction."

According to a report of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the minister told media that Pakistan has always been calling for maintaining ties at the level of the High Commissioners and has been supporting the people-to-people contacts and resumption of various links and exchanges.

"Pakistan is ready to hold meaningful discussions on all outstanding issues between the two countries including that of Jammu and Kashmir," added Kasuri.

He denied the saying that the two countries were under some external pressure to resume talks, saying, "There are friends who would like us to resume normal relations" and it will be "unfair" to term it as "outside pressure."

Diplomatic ties and air links between India and Pakistan were suspended following a terrorist attack on India's parliament building in December 2001. India has blamed the attack on religious extremists who New Delhi claimed were sponsored by Islamabad. Islamabad denied the involvement.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed in full by both. The two rivals have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over Kashmir.

Vajpayee, 78 and ailing, has indicated he would like to leave a legacy of peace between India and Pakistan.

On his offer to hold talks with Pakistan, Vajpayee told Parliament "This round of talks will be decisive," "and at least for my life, these will be the last."

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is to visit the region next week. Experts believed that Vajpayee's announcement would put India in a good position for receiving Armitage.

(Xinhua News Agency May 3, 2003)