ISLAMABAD, June 7: Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, underlined on Monday that approach to the longstanding Kashmir dispute would be critical in Pakistan-India dialogue , saying the two South Asian nations needed to preserve agreements and the CBMs and maintain political contact at high level to take the process forward.

Suggesting six key ground rules to sustain the dialogue Ms Lodhi also underscored at a seminar that the peace process had to move beyond confidence building measures, which were only a means towards an end.

In her keynote address, Maleeha Lodhi, who is also the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Institute of Regional Studies, described the present political environment in South Asia as being marked by an "ambience of hope and anticipation".

About the six ground rules, she said a problem-solving approach should mark the negotiating objectives of the two sides, the principle of reciprocity should guide the negotiations and the two sides should pursue a steady and patient course to avert a breakdown or reversal of the process.

"The stakes are high for Pakistan and India in the bilateral dialogue - the lessons of the past must be learnt - the history of false starts and breakdown must be averted."

The first objective of the two sides must be to sustain the dialogue, she maintained. She said political contact at sufficiently high level was imperative to iron out issues and keep the process moving towards the objective of durable peace through resolution of all issues.

"This issue (Jammu and Kashmir) remains central to the success or failure of the dialogue process - both in symbolic and substantive terms," she pointed in her inaugural address at the three-day seminar on prospects of peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia.

Maleeha Lodhi said President Musharraf's four-point formula offers a viable basis to address the final settlement of the lingering issue.-APP