Washington: US Secretary of State Colin Powell says "the issue of Kashmir" is on the table between India and Pakistan but cross-border infiltration "remains an issue of serious concern to Indians".

Powell was answering a question at the Foreign Press Centre in New York yesterday (Sep 23, 2004) about President Bush's talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf this week.

Powell, who was present at the talks, said, "It was a good discussion with both. And President Bush expressed his pleasure that a dialogue is now taking place.

"When you think of the challenge we faced two years ago when you had no dialogue and there was this serous threat of war, the world was concerned about a nuclear conflict perhaps in the sub-continent.

"So we do now have a dialogue. The Foreign Ministers have met with each other and had a good discussion. We know that there are serious outstanding issues that have to be dealt with as part of this dialogue. Cross-border infiltration remains an issue of serious concern to the Indians, and the issue of Kashmir is on the table."