PAKISTAN: Pakistan expects its peace process with India to continue despite a change of government following Indian elections, according to Islamabad's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.
Pakistani politicians privately regarded defeated Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee as one of the few Indian leaders that they were comfortable talking to.
But with Ms Sonia Gandhi's Congress party about to take power in New Delhi, Islamabad quickly pointed out that the desire for peace between the two nuclear-armed neighbours was bigger than any personality.
"I think our peace process with India will continue. This is the desire and wishes of the people," Mr Ahmed said in Malaysia, where he was attending a meet- ing of the Non-Aligned Movement. "This peace process is nothing to do with personalities. This is to do with the nations and the people."
It was Mr Vajpayee who took the initiative last year in seeking to resurrect talks between the countries which have fought three wars since 1947.
India's incoming rulers quickly pledged to sustain the dialogue begun with Pakistan's President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
"We in Congress party have always held that the only way to resolve issues with our neighbours is through dialogue," said a Congress spokeswoman Ms Ambika Soni.
"Hopefully, whatever government is formed, the peace process will continue. The people of both nations want to solve their problems in a peaceful way, and we believe the process of composite dialogue will stand."
As yet Ms Gandhi lacks the personal rapport Mr Vajpayee established with Gen Musharraf at a meeting in Islamabad in January.
"Pakistan will endeavour to seek a peaceful settlement of all outstanding issues between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir dispute," the foreign ministry said.