ISLAMABAD, Jan 3: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Saturday he saw President Pervez Musharraf as someone he could talk to, but time was needed for them to reach agreement over Kashmir.

Asked in an interview with Pakistan Television how he viewed Musharraf, he said: "I think we can talk to Musharraf, those talks can lead to some result, that I also hope.

"It is obvious that to take things forward time is needed. Talks should be held regularly," Mr Vajpayee added later. "We hope that the interaction will take us to some conclusion," the Indian leader said, speaking in Hindi language.

He said President Musharraf, who won a vote of confidence for his presidency on Thursday, was the highest leader of Pakistan and "we wish him to take part in efforts to bring about good relations" between the two countries.

Mr Musharraf and Mr Vajpayee held a summit at Agra in July 2001 but it failed to arrive at any consensus.

"It is our belief and correct belief that Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India, but we are ready to talk about it openly. I think there has not been a solid discussion on this question," he said.

"Pakistan has been repeating its position and we have been repeating our view; the world has been saying, 'you people get together and resolve your issue among yourselves.' This will take time."

Mr Vajpayee's comments follow an offer by President Pervez Musharraf to meet India halfway on Kashmir.

The Indian Prime Minister called for a sustained dialogue, saying there has not been a "focussed" discussion between Pakistan and India on the Kashmir dispute.

To a question, Mr Vajpayee said Pakistan and India were neighbours and required no strategy to live together.

He, however, said that gradually this understanding was emerging that "we have to live together." He said it was in the interest of the two countries to work together and live in peace. "This will be in the interest of the people of the region as well as for the world."

To a question, Mr Vajpayee said the rioting which led to the killing of thousands of Muslims in Gujarat was regrettable and a "wrong step".

He did not agree that the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) won subsequent elections on anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistan themes. On the contrary, he maintained, in the three recent elections there was no anti-Pakistan talk.

"The thing that now matters is how to have close friendship with Pakistan, a friendship based on principles." He said when the two sides start talking, things would move forward and improvements would be visible.

When asked about India's relations with the United States, he said, these were based on terms of equality. "What we do not like about America, we openly say so. There is no question of being a junior partner," he said. He said earlier the same thing was also said about Pakistan. -Reuters/AFP/APP