Washington: Pakistan has shown "much greater flexibility and determination" in dealing with the Kashmir issue, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha has said.

"We did see a much greater flexibility and determination on the part of Pakistan to deal with the issue of Kashmir. That has certainly encouraged us," Sinha was quoted by 'The Washington Times' as saying in an interview to its editors and reporters in Washington yesterday (Jan 21, 2004).

Sinha said cross-border infiltration is "far less" than it was a year ago although the real test might come when the spring clears vital mountain passes.

He said his Washington trip coincided with one of the warmest periods in memory for US-Indian ties.

Sinha said Iraq was not a major focus of his talks with US leaders. Secretary of State Colin Powell praised New Delhi for its offers to aid the reconstruction effort in war-ravaged Iraq.