New Delhi: Ahead of the Indo-Pak Foreign Minister-level talks in New Delhi, India today (Aug 31, 2004) said the issue of Kashmir resolution should not hold people of the sub-continent hostage and the two countries should proceed with furthering economic relations.

"Kashmir is an important issue to be resolved between India and Pakistan. But its resolution should not hold 1.3 billion people (of the sub-continent) hostage," National Security Adviser J N Dixit told reporters.

Speaking on the sidelines of 'Regional Conference on SAARC: Post-Islamabad Challenges' here, he said the two countries should further economic relations to exploit the immense potential in this sphere.

He refused to comment on the upcoming talks between External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri on September 5-6.

Earlier, inaugurating the day-long conference being attended by delegates from Pakistan and other SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations, he said, "prejudices" remained a hurdle in movement of the regional countries towards cooperation at Government level.

"Time has come for moving forward with conviction and sense of clarity on what is good for us," he said.

Noting that India had greater responsibility, he said this can be meaningful only if there is a response to it.

"By just saying you have larger responsibility does not help. You have to shoulder the responsibility," Dixit said.

He said the reciprocity "may not be equal and matching but there should be an acknowledgement about willingness about it."