01 November 2004	Monday	17 Ramazan 1425

NEW DELHI, Oct 31: A senior UN official has said that converting the Line of Control into an international border could not be a substitute of the UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the United News of India said on Sunday.

It quoted Jamsheed Marker, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General, urging the leadership of India and Pakistan to be 'bold and practical' in their approach to end their animosity over the 57-year-old issue.

Mr Marker, who has served as Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, France and Japan, told visiting Indian and Pakistani journalists at the University of South Florida that recognizing the LoC as a permanent border could not help resolve the dispute, UNI said.

"The solution to the dispute should be acceptable to all the parties concerned - India, Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

The career diplomat, who held detailed talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on political developments in South Asia in New York in September, said nothing had been finalized on the Kashmir issue.

"Modalities have not yet been finalized. Talks are not only concentrated on the Kashmir issue, but also on other seven problems."

"For the first time, I am optimistic that the two countries would overcome their differences. The opportunity must be seized. Gen Musharraf is showing flexibility. Similar vibes have come from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," he added.

The world community is also encouraging and supporting the peace process. The international community is genuinely interested in friendly and cordial relations between India and Pakistan. They are supportive of peace process. South Asia is the most dangerous part of the world because both India and Pakistan are nuclear weapon countries, he said.