Islamabad, October 16, 2004 (PTI)

India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir issue according to the wishes of their respective nations, former Prime Minister I K Gujral, has said.

"The two Governments should settle the issue according to the wishes of their respective nations through peaceful dialogues," Gujral, currently on a visit to Lahore to chair the meetings of South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR), said in an interview to local newspaper 'Daily Times'.

Asked if the people of Kashmir should be involved in the talks, he said "Kashmiris are part of the Indian nation and they do not think different from the rest of the nation."

About the US interest in peace between the two neighbours, he said Pakistan and India are sovereign states and they are able to resolve their problems without involving a third party.

He suggested that the two Governments should not involve the media in conveying messages to each other, but do so through official channels.

To a question about presence of a large number of Indian troops in the Kashmir Valley and the possibility of demilitarisation, he said "I pose a couple of questions in reply. Why did India heavily militarise the Kashmir Valley? Are the Indian troops enjoying a picnic there?"

Gujral said people on both sides knew the reasons for the deployment of the armed forces in Kashmir, without directly referring to cross-border terrorism.

He also welcomed the September 24 meeting between President Pervez Musharraf, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in New York and said the peace process would have positive results.

On the Indo-Pak. peace process, Gujral said "I, as Foreign Minister of India, initiated the process with the Nawaz Sharif Government in Pakistan in 1996 as the result of which India softened its visa policy for Pakistanis."

"I have high regard for him (Sharif) because I found him very sincere to the cause of peace between the two countries, and he deserves credit for it," he said.

Replying to a question, he said "I cannot give any solution to the Kashmir issue because this job should be done by both Governments. However, it will take time."

He said the meeting between Musharraf and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, in January had also strengthened the peace process.

Gujral also expressed concern about increasing acts of terrorism in Pakistan and said that people everywhere know that terrorism serves nobody.

He said common Indians wanted contact with Pakistanis, so it was the very first duty of the two Governments to bring the two nations closer.

Last night Gujral also addressed a 'Meet the Press' programme in Lahore Press Club where he came down heavily on proponents of third party mediation. "Every third party has its own interests in every solution."

He also said that he has "the feeling that the recent meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and the Pakistani President in the US has carried the process forward."

To a question, he said a huge defence budget was not in the interest of the people of the two countries who were facing poverty and backwardness.