ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said that India and Pakistan are holding talks realizing that neither of them can impose a solution of the Kashmir problem on each other through attacks and wars.

In an interview to BBC Radio, the foreign minister refuted the impression that Pakistan and India had gone into the talks under any external pressure.

Pakistan and India were not small countries, he said and added that those were big countries and no one could press them.

Replying to a question, he said the visit of United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage had been scheduled earlier but it was the first visit of any high-ranking US leader after the re-lection of President George Bush.

He said Pakistan's relations with the US and India and the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq came under discussion during Mr Armitage's meetings.

Asked if matters pertaining to Pakistan's role in the war against terrorism were discussed, the minister said that had become an old issue.

He said Pakistan was taking action against terrorists not for the sake of the US. If bomb explosions took place and attacks were carried out in Pakistan, they affect the people there, he said.

Pakistan's relations with the US were now beyond the issue of cooperation against terrorism, he said.

Replying to a question, he said the country was free from the pressure of the International Monetary Fund and it did not need further help from the organization.

He said the United States was not influencing Pakistan's relations with the rest of the world.

The foreign minister said talks with India were in Pakistan's interest and peace in the region was the only guaranty for continued development which could benefit the people.-APP