NEW DELHI, Jan 31: Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said on Saturday that mistrust with Pakistan must give way to trust for a tension-free and peaceful region.

Mr Vajpayee told an international peace conference in New Delhi that it was in this spirit that his government was seeking to resolve its differences with Pakistan through dialogue.

"India has never been an aggressor, a colonizer or a hegemonic nation in her long history," Mr Vajpayee claimed at the opening of Global Convention on Peace and Non-Violence. "In modern times, we are alive to our responsibility to contribute to peace and cooperation both in our region and around the world.

Stressing that India believed in peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations with all her neighbours, Mr Vajpayee said: "We are happy that the 12th Saarc summit was a major step forward in regional cooperation.

"As I said at the summit, we have to change South Asia's image and standing in the world. We must make the bold transition from mistrust to trust, from discord to concord, and from tension to peace. It is in the same spirit that my government has been trying to resolve all the outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue."

Men and societies yearn for a life without violence, Mr Vajpayee said.