Gurdaspur (Punjab), Aug 03: Union Minister of State for External Affairs Vinod Khanna today said Pakistan was not serious on settling bilateral issues with India despite being openly invited to the negotiation table. "Whenever efforts for negotiations are initiated, ISI and some political leaders put hurdles to prevent them," Khanna told reporters here.

"Kashmir is an integral part of India and there is not dispute about it", he said. Rebutting Congress accusations that Vajpayee government had failed in its foreign policy, he said India has successfully cleared its viewpoint on Kashmir at the global level and had been praised by one and all.

Regarding China's claim over Arunachal Pradesh, Khanna said the issue had not yet been raised at the official or ministerial level by China.

Bureau Report