On board Air India One: US President George W Bush indicated he will talk to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on the need to end cross border terrorism in India when he meets him in Washington later this month.

The assurance was given to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee when he talked to Bush at a dinner on May 31 night hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg to the visiting heads of governments.

Vajpayee was seated left of Bush at the dinner and the table was shared by Putin, incumbent European Union (EU) chairman and Greek President Costas Simitis and incoming EU chairman and Italian President Silivio Berlusconi.

Authoritative sources told reporters accompanying the Prime Minister that Bush agreed with Vajpayee that successful Indo-Pak dialogue is not possible without an end to cross-border terrorism.

Bush expressed admiration of Vajpayee's Pakistan peace initiative.

The Prime Minister told him that a successful dialogue is not possible without and end to cross-border terrorism.

PTI