Islamabad: Pakistan is prepared to resume dialogue with India at a short notice and "we are waiting for India to indicate at what level it would like to talk about the talks", Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said during an interview with 'The News' on June 4.

According to him, the international community is interested in removing irritants in South Asia that could lead to nuclear conflict between the two neighbours. The visit of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Robert Mueller to Pakistan should be seen in that context, he added.

President Pervez Musharraf's visit to Washington was being keenly awaited in the United States, as he enjoyed a great degree of respect in America and the West generally for what they accepted as his various courageous decisions to set Pakistan on the right course, he was quoted as saying.

Kasuri further stated he had every reason to believe that the Bush administration and Congress were favourably inclined and were preparing for Musharraf's visit, which could well prove to be a milestone in the Pak-US relations. The very fact that the President will be received at Camp David reflected, in his opinion, the importance Washington attaches to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, talking to 'The Nation', Kasuri said Pakistan and US would discuss a "robust, multi-year financial as well as military" package during Musharraf's visit to Washington, in addition to seeking enhancement in trade, anti-terrorism, and defence co-operation. "It will be a robust financial package," Kasuri said when asked about the possible outcome of Musharraf's visit to Washington. Musharraf was not going to the US to get grants or loan. The visit would rather prove to be a milestone in Pak-US relationship and would pave the way for long-term ties to the benefit of the people of Pakistan, according to him.

"It's about time that the benefits of decades old relationship between the two countries start filtering down to the common people," the Foreign Minister said. He, however, said that Pakistan would discuss ways to end conventional weapons disparity between India and Pakistan by seeking augmented assistance in defence sector from the US, the newspaper reported.

ANI