Hu lauds India, Pak's efforts to resolve disputes

Appreciating efforts by India and Pakistan to resolve their disputes peacefully through dialogue, China Friday said it was committed to play a "constructive" role for establishing peace and stability in the region.

"As a neighbour and friend, China sincerely hopes to see peace and stability maintained on the sub-continent. We appreciate and support the efforts by Pakistan and India to resolve their disputes peacefully through dialogue," Chinese President Hu Jintao said at a joint press conference with his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharraf after their talks. The Chinese President, who arrived in Islamabad from India on Thursday on a three-day visit to Pakistan, was asked what role Beijing would play to resolve Indo-Pak disputes. Hu said India and Pakistan's efforts to settle their disputes have not only served the interests of the people of the two countries but is also conducive to peace and development of South Asia as a whole.

Musharraf said Pakistan and India should "focus on conflict resolution and in conflict resolution Kashmir happens to be the core. I would like to say in this regard that there is light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

Musharraf, while replying to a question about the Indo-Pak peace process, said he was optimistic to resolve Kashmir and other disputes bilaterally with New Delhi. "We are following a bilateral dual track of Confidence Building Measures and conflict resolutions. CBMs are proceeding well. We have enhanced our interaction at people-to-people level," he said.

He said there was sincerity in the leadership of both sides to resolve disputes. "I feel at this time that the people of India and Pakistan desire peace. Therefore, I am optimistic about the future, specially so I have interacted with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and I see a desire towards resolution of disputes between India and Pakistan," he said. Musharraf said there was realisation on both sides that resolution of disputes will bring peace and harmony and lead to mutual economic benefits.

"I am optimistic we will move forward and resolve our disputes in the future. That is my desire and hope of people of Pakistan to resolve these disputes permanently," he said.