Islamabad: Rejecting India's charge that it was responsible for the failure of talks on resumption of air links, Pakistan has said the parleys failed to make headway because New Delhi wanted more time to respond to Pakistani demand for guarantees not to unilaterally ban over flights in future.

"The Indian notion that the talks on resumption of air links could not make any headway because of conditionalities by Pakistan was wrong," Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri told reporters in Rawalpindi on August 28.

Pakistan has only asked for the observance of international conventions by both sides and sought assurances from India that it will not re-impose unilateral ban on over flights in future, Kasuri said reacting to External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna's statement that talks failed because of Pakistan's negative approach and its attempt to bring in extraneous issues.

Kasuri said India wanted more time to work out the details regarding resumption of air links. "Something that could be resolved too easily has been delayed," Kasuri was quoted as saying by official APP news agency.

The talks ended inconclusively on August 28 after Indian officials pointed out to Pakistan that its demand seeking guarantees against future bans on over flights has not figured in the agenda circulated by Islamabad ahead of talks.

Instead, the agenda included only restoration of air links, which included resumption of direct links.

Pakistani officials told the local media in their briefings that talks had to be wrapped up after the Indian side refused to incorporate a clause in joint declaration that no party would disrupt the air links unilaterally in future.

However, the Indian delegation headed by Satendra Singh, director general of Civil Aviation, maintained that it was not in a position to give such a commitment, they said.

Kasuri also said that the recent bomb blasts in Mumbai should not affect the peace process initiated by both the countries.

Terming as "unfortunate" Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani charging Pakistan with involvement, he said, "Pakistan-India relations should not be held hostage to the local problems in one country or the other."

He claimed that Pakistan did not blame India when militants stormed a mosque in Quetta in Baluchistan province in July 2003.

However, he did not refer to the allegations by the Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali for not ruling out Indian hand in the attack.

Kasuri also said that the delay in initiation of a formal dialogue between Pakistan and India was "unfortunate" and expressed apprehension that the process of normalisation of relations may "loose momentum".

Claiming that Pakistan has always shown openness, he said, "The ball is now in India's court and any delay in the talk unfortunate. W will loose the momentum, if we do not start the talks. Pakistan and India will have to act in tandem to seek an early resolution of all their issues."

Kasuri said Pakistan sought a composite dialogue with India on all issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir. "The Kashmir issue could not be put aside and the sacrifices of Kashmiris cannot be forgotten."

Referring to the momentum generated by the recent visits of Indian Parliamentarians, he said the Track- II policy does improve the atmosphere for talks, but it was not a substitute to a formal dialogue.

PTI