"We have our long-standing offer of holding talks any time, at any level, any where," Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman Aziz Khan said at a weekly news briefing.

"We believe that the only way to solve the problems was through dialogues and negotiations and not by the use of forces or of threats of using forces," Khan said.

He termed the statement from across the border as "positive", yet said no pre-conditions were necessary for the success of talks.

Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee told a rally in Srinagar, capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, last week that he was committed to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute which has been a source of tension between Pakistan and India for more than 50 years.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2003)