WASHINGTON, June 12: Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh on Friday assured Pakistan that India's new government wanted not only to continue the peace process begun by its predecessors but also to strengthen it.

The foreign minister conveyed this message during two short meetings with Senate Chairman Mohammedmian Soomro - first at the State Department and later at the funeral of former United States president Ronald Reagan.

"Mr Singh assured me that India firmly supports the progress made since January, when former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Islamabad and signed a deal to resolve all differences through bilateral talks," Mr Soomro told a briefing here.

"He also assured me that bilateral talks will move forward, steadily and convincingly," he said.

Mr Soomro described his talks with the Indian foreign minister as "pleasant and held in a friendly atmosphere," and said those raised the hopes that bilateral relations would improve.

Discussing the situation in Pakistan with a Pakistani newsmen, Mr Soomro said violence in Karachi was a cause of concern but it was wrong to say that Karachi was out of control. "Nothing is out of control. Life goes on. The government is taking the steps needed to curb violence and is pursuing those responsible for the attacks," he said.

The Senate chairman said the military operation in Wana was not against the citizens of Pakistan. The troops, he said, were fighting a handful of foreigners who turned down the opportunity the government had offered them to live peacefully.

"The air force and the army have both been used to remove these foreigners and not against our own citizens," he said.

About the removal of Sindh chief minister, he said such changes were not unusual in a coalition government. "Coalition partners often make such changes through mutual consultations," he said.

The decision to change the chief minister was not made outside Sindh, he said and added: "Some consultations were held in Islamabad and London because leaders associated with the ruling coalition live there."

The nomination of the new chief minister, he said, was announced in Islamabad because the president of the ruling party was there. Similarly, he said, it's wrong to say that Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain cannot participate in Pakistani politics because he is now a British citizen. "The Supreme Court of Pakistan has approved dual nationality and the MQM leader is both a Pakistani and British citizen," he said.