Saturday, January 21 2006 09:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: Stressing that New Delhi and Islamabad must move beyond simple confidence-building measures to 'substantive dispute resolution', Pakistan has asserted that the Kashmir issue must be settled for South Asia to achieve 'sustainable peace'.

Addressing reporters after a 45-minute meeting with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz made it clear that Kashmir is the 'core' issue, which must be resolved to allow India and Pakistan to move forward on other fronts including trade and investment.

Expressing concern over human rights violations in Kashmir, he said any solution to the Kashmir issue must reflect the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

"Without that, we do not feel we can find a sustainable solution," he said.

Islamabad believes that India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people need to show courage, leadership, magnanimity, flexibility and passion, Aziz said adding, "what we need is a passion for peace and that is what Pakistan is trying to achieve". When asked about Indo-Pak relations, the Pakistan premier harped only on the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan is engaged in a dialogue with India and Kashmiri people to find a 'credible and lasting' solution, Aziz said adding that it has proposed several initiatives, which he believed, would lead to its resolution.