NEW DELHI, Jan 7: The Indian cabinet on Wednesday called for a "successful conclusion" of the peace process with Pakistan. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, meanwhile, briefed his security cabinet on his talks with leaders in Pakistan that opened the doors for the resumption of a composite dialogue next month, officials said.

Mr Vajpayee spoke to his cabinet colleagues for 80 minutes about his meeting with President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali on the sidelines of the Saarc summit.

"Other issues relating to India and Pakistan figured at the meeting," officials said. The cabinet congratulated Mr Vajpayee for initiating the process last April and following it up with talks with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad this week.

"The cabinet expressed the hope that the peace process will be taken to a successful conclusion in the interests of the people of India and Pakistan," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters.

India's leftist parties said the decision by both countries to resume a composite dialogue in February without preconditions "can herald a new era of no military conflicts and no wars".

Mr Vajpayee's meeting with his security cabinet was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes, Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh and top military brass, officials said.

The ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, said the February talks would be "possible" only if "cross-border militancy ended in Kashmir".

"We are happy to take note of the fact that India has maintained its consistent stand during their (Indian leaders') meeting with Pakistani leadership that sustained dialogue with Pakistan would be possible only after cross-border terrorism is brought to an end," BJP President Venkaiah Naidu said.

"We are happy that Pakistan has given this assurance and is ready to move forward on the road to peace with India," Mr Naidu said of President Musharraf's pledge that Pakistan would not allow its soil for terrorist activities.

Legislators in Jammu and Kashmir said there was renewed hope among the people for a lasting peace between the two countries.-dpa/AFP