New Delhi: BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Oct 10, 2004) favoured formation of a South Asian Union with softer borders among the region's countries as it backed the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government in the ongoing peace process with Pakistan despite differences on "some aspects".

Senior BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said India being bigger among South Asian countries in terms of size and resources would be ready to make concessions in the field of trade and commerce.

Addressing the conference of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) coinciding with a tour of Pakistani journalists in New Delhi, he cautioned in a veiled manner that interference by foreign countries in Indo-Pak relations could derail the ongoing process.

Sinha, who was involved in the launch of latest peace process with Pakistan, said India could not afford to make any compromise on the issue of national security and emphasised that all countries should be "sensitive" to other nation's concerns.

Apparently referring to Pakistan, he said, "You have to face the reality and address concerns of the other country. You cannot put these (concerns) under the carpet saying these don't exist."

"Promises must be kept if the trust of the other side was to be built," he said apparently pointing to assurance given by Pakistan in the January 6 Joint Statement not to allow any part of its territory to be used for terrorism in India.