New York: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on September 26 ruled out bilateral talks with Pakistan during his visit to Islamabad for the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) Summit in January 2004.

"There is no proposal for talks (in Islamabad). There is no atmosphere for this. It would not be useful," he told a press conference, wrapping up his week-long visit to New York for attending the United Nations General Assembly.

Asked whether it was fair to assume that the peace initiative started in Srinagar in May has ended in New York with the "slanging match" between the two countries at the UN, Vajpayee said, "Whatever has happened is not right and should not have happened.

"I do not think that the peace initiative is over. It should continue."

Vajpayee also rejected a suggestion that continuing the peace process was a sign of weakness by India. He said because of the peace initiative, the whole world believed India is sincere to have peace and no one believes Pakistan.

The Prime Minister said he had extended the hand of friendship to Pakistan thrice, but Pakistani leaders said they want to pick up the peace process from Agra, giving an impression that Lahore is nothing for them.

"Why do they want to forget Lahore?" he asked.

The Prime Minister said during his meeting with United States President George Bush, the US side had accepted that there had been an increase in the incidents of cross-border terrorism.

Asked to comment on the statement by Pakistan's permanent representative Munir Akram that India was the "mother of terrorism", Vajpayee said India is "the mother of 100 crore children. The level of debate which is on is not good."

Vajpayee said India has been fighting against terrorism for long and New Delhi has said, "We will be fighting cross border terrorism on our own and face it. But international fight against terrorism was also interlinked."

Asked to comment on Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's comment that Bush did not mention about terrorism in India in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, he said the US President did not mention it, but the UN Secretary General talked about it. "But not much importance should be attached to it," he said.

Because of the double standard in fighting terrorism, there is some kind of disappointment in India, he said.