ISLAMABAD, May 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has congratulated Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reiterating that the ongoing cooperation will continue, says Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

The minister was giving details of the telephonic conversation between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Singh to a private television channel. President Musharraf, the information minister said, hoped that mutual issues between the two countries, including Kashmir would be resolved through talks and mutual consent.

He said that the president had also expressed the hope that commerce and trade links between the two countries would improve. He said the conversation continued for about 20-25 minutes during which President Musharraf congratulated the Indian PM and said that cooperation would move ahead and both countries would succeed in resolving all their problems.

Referring to the postponement of nuclear talks between the two countries, he said there was nothing strange as the formation of a new government was under way in New Delhi.