Ankara, Sept 16: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said economic cooperation, cultural exchange and people-to-people contact between India and Pakistan can end the present atmosphere of suspicion and mistrust clouding bilateral ties but made it clear this approach has a chance only if cross-border terrorism stopped. "We believe that the two countries should actively promote mutually beneficial economic cooperation, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contact so that the present atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion can be transformed into a more cordial environment, congenial for the resolution of bilateral issues," he told Turkish newspaper "News".

"Of course, this approach has a chance only if cross- border terrorism ends," Vajpayee said. Pointing out that dialogue was the only way to resolve Indo-Pak issues, including Jammu and Kashmir he said, "But for any dialogue to be meaningful terrorism must end and the infrastructure promoting it has to be dismantled.” Bureau Report