New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on August 15 asked Pakistan to give up its "anti-India attitude" and take steps to put an end to cross-border terrorism to improve ties between the two countries.

Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort after unfurling the national tricolour on Independence Day, he said, "We hope Pakistan will give up its anti-India attitude. People of both the countries want to live in peace."

Stressing that India wanted friendship with all its neighbours, the Prime Minister said it wanted all outstanding issues to be resolved peacefully.

India's repeated initiatives to improve relations with Pakistan should not be treated as "a sign of weakness" but a symbol of peace, he said.

Of late there had been some progress in the efforts to improve the ties but cross-border terrorism continued, Vajpayee said.

In his 25-minute address, the Prime Minister invited Pakistan to walk the peace path along with India and said the road ahead could be a rough one with mines laid at some points. "But if we proceed on the road, the obstacles will vanish," said Vajpayee.

Vajpayee said the recent heart operation of two-year old Pakistani girl Noor was an example of the extent of goodwill India had for the neighbour.

Vajpayee said he had been telling Pakistani friends that the two countries fought for 50 years and wanted to know how much more blood had to be shed before peace could return.

"If we have to fight, we should fight against poverty, unemployment and hunger," the Prime Minister said. The most important message of the Independence Day is that India's unity and integrity must be protected at any cost, he said in his sixth address to the nation as the Prime Minister.

Recalling the 1998 Pokhran nuclear test which was carried out to strengthen India's security, the Prime Minister asserted, "National security will be accorded top-most priority."

Suggesting that trade between the two countries should increase, Vajpayee said that he did not understand "why we should depend on a third country for boosting trade".

People of the two countries should visit each other without any problem and cultural ties should improve between them, he said, adding, "The wall dividing the two countries should have new doors, new windows and new ventilators."

Referring to Jammu and Kashmir elections, the Prime Minister recalled that he promised free and fair polls in his last Independence Day address and the government had stood by the commitment. He said the polls showed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had rejected terrorism and wanted peace and Democracy.

Attacking those demanding plebiscite in Kashmir, Vajpayee said they were attempting to divide the country again on religious lines. No such division on religious lines would be allowed to succeed, he said. The Prime Minister said that the problem of Jammu and Kashmir had to be resolved through dialogue. Asserting that India was a multi-religious country, he said that the rights of the minorities must be protected and awareness created across the country for their well-being.

On the peace process in the North East, he said the Centre welcomed laying down of arms by the insurgents and joining the mainstream through dialogue.

Stating that government accorded top-most priority to the country's security, the Prime Minister said that was the reason it carried out nuclear test five years ago.

"The world is changing. New challenges are emerging. What is needed is to strengthen India economically and socially," he said.

India's foreign policy had enhanced its image globally during the past five years and there had been a noticeable change in the attitude of the international community towards the country, he told the large gathering which braved rains to hear the Prime Minister.

PTI