Lausanne (Switzerland), June 02: In a significant global endorsement for India`s peace initiative, leaders of five powerful nations (P-5), including US President George W Bush, have supported the Indian stand that cross-border terrorism should end and promised to make efforts in this regard. Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of his week-long three-nation tour, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the leaders he met in the last few days feel that the violence that goes on across the border should end.

"There is a global support (for the Indian position). They say you talk (to Pakistan). We will make our efforts to see that cross border violence ends," Vajpayee said, adding that even the Chinese President Hu Jintao (whom he met in St Petersburg) appreciated India`s peace initiative.

Asked whether President Bush gave an assurance that he would put pressure on President Pervez Musharraf when the Pakistani ruler meets him in Washington later this month, Vajpayee said "it is difficult to express it in words."

At a dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg for visiting heads of state and government, Bush assured Vajpayee that he would take up the issue of cross border terrorism with Musharraf when he meets him in Washington later this month.

Bush, the Prime Minister said, wanted to know whether India has started a dialogue with Pakistan. "I told him preliminary discussions have started. The real and substantive will take time. For that the cross border terrorism should end and steps have to be taken to destroy the infrastructure that supports violence".

The US President, he said replied "Yes, I know. It is necessary that it (ends). And I will tell him (Musharraf) that. He did not say I will put pressure."

Asked what he felt about the assurance and whether the US would put pressure, he said "let`s see".

When asked again about promises made by the US government on the issue many times in the past, Vajpayee merely said: "Let`s see what happens".

Bureau Report