Saturday, June 11 2005 19:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Indo-Pak ties figured during the discussion between Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and US President George W Bush who expressed the hope that the Kashmir problem would be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.

During the 30-minute meeting at the White House yesterday (Jun 10, 2005), Kasuri briefed Bush on the latest developments in Indo-Pak relations, including visit of Kashmiri separatist leaders to Pakistan, and emphasised that a stage has reached where solution to the core issue of Kashmir needs to be discussed, a press release issued by the Pakistan embassy said in Washington.

While expressing hope for a solution to the Kashmir issue to the satisfaction of all concerned parties, Bush also praised the "bold leadership" of President Pervez Musharraf.

Kasuri, who also had a meeting with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice lasting more than an hour said, "Now vision and courage was required to come to grips with the main (Kashmir) issue".

Besides, Kashmir, the Foreign Minister discussed Pakistan's Defence needs and key bilateral, regional and global issues. Bush said that he was "sensitive" to Pakistan's security needs.

The issue of UN reforms also came up for discussion and Bush agreed with Kasuri that there should be no "artificial deadlines" to decide on the reforms, the release said.

Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, senior director at the National Security Council Michael Green and Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca were also present in the meeting between Bush and Kasuri.

After his meeting with Rice, Kasuri said that India and Pakistan will experience durable peace only if the two nations resolve the issue of Kashmir.

"Pakistan and India need to guard against other issues raising their ugly heads because 57 years of Kashmir is enough.

"In order that it is resolved we need to include the Kashmiris in the peace process. There can be no resolution to the dispute if the Kashmiris are not involved".

Kasuri separately met the US President's National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and requested for an investigation into reports of alleged desecration of the holy Quran at the U.S. prisons, and called for punishment to those responsible.

Earlier, at a breakfast meeting with Kasuri, the members of the Pakistan Caucus expressed bipartisan support to promoting long-term relations between Pakistan and US in the Congress.

The co-chairs of the Caucus, Congressman Dan Burton and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, indicted their intention to send a joint letter to the leaders of Pakistan and India encouraging them to pursue the dialogue process for resolving their outstanding issues.