Srinagar: Describing Pakistan's response to Indian peace overtures as "delayed but positive", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today (Oct 30) said the hand of friendship extended by Prime Minister A B Vajpayee to the neighbouring country would eventually lead to resolution of the Kashmir issue.

"I believe the Pakistani response to Government of India's offer has been positive. Though they took sometime to deliberate on the fall out of the offer, it is better late than never," Sayeed told reporters on the sidelines of a 'loan mela' in Srinagar.

Expressing hope the latest developments between the two countries would lead to a resolution of the Kashmir issue, he said, "The initiative taken by Prime Minister Vajpayee from this soil earlier this year is moving forward in this direction. There is no other way but to be friends for durable peace."

Pakistan has agreed to fundamentals of normalising relations between the two countries. There is no disagreement on the basics but the modalities have to be worked out through talks, he said.

Referring to Islamabad's Kashmir-specific proposals, he said, "It was a good omen for peace that Pakistan felt the sufferings of the people here."

PTI