Tuesday, April 19 2005 10:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: Russia yesterday (Apr 18, 2005) "received with satisfaction" the outcome of talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and hoped it would give a new fillip to the Indo-Pak dialogue on outstanding issues.

"The outcome of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's India visit on April 16-18 at the invitation of Prime Minister of India M Singh has been received in Russia with satisfaction," a Russian Foreign Ministry statement issued last night said.

Noting that the talks gave a new impulse to the development of Indo-Pak dialogue on the whole complex of bilateral issues, which is reflected in a joint communique, the Russian Foreign Ministry has underscored the intent of the two nations to further advance military Confidence Building Measures (CBM), their readiness to develop economic cooperation, expand transport links, including across the Line of Control (LoC) and contribute to the activation of humanitarian and cultural contacts.

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted the mutual intent of New Delhi and Islamabad to provide the peace process an irreversible character and not to allow terrorism to become a hurdle in its continuation "evokes hope".

"We view the regular summit level India-Pakistan contacts as an important factor of sustained and effective peace dialogue between the two nations, strengthening of atmosphere of trust and stability in South Asia," it said in the statement.