NEW DELHI, May 10: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has said that India’s fresh peace initiative with Pakistan did not come about under pressure from the United States.

It was guided solely by national interests which were “paramount,” Mr Vajpayee said in an interview to Sahara Time magazine, the UNI news agency reported on Saturday.

“A proud nation” does not act under any pressure, he added.

There has been speculation that the United States put pressure on India and Pakistan to start talking.

Mr Vajpayee also said that India would have to continue its battle against militancy alone.

He reiterated India’s long-standing position that Pakistan should put an end to the militants flow into occupied Kashmir.

The Indian premier reaffirmed his commitment to the resumption of a dialogue with Pakistan and said Pakistani leaders should reconcile themselves to the fact that one can change one’s friends, but not one’s neighbours.—AFP