India, Pakistan hold talks on restoring Kashmir bus service

"Talks were held in a cordial, constructive, friendly atmosphere," said Jalil Abbas Jilani, director general (South Asia) in the Pakistani foreign office, who led a team of five in New Delhi.

"Both sides exchanged their ideas. The outcome will be told to you tomorrow," he said.

An Indian foreign ministry source said: "India is flexible in its approach and wants communication links to be restored as soon as possible."

The talks were expected to focus on the issue of what kind of travel documents bus passengers would have to carry to cross the volatile de facto border, the Line of Control.

Pakistan is said to oppose residents in its area of Kashmir travelling on passports and visas, fearing it would be tantamount to accepting the LoC as a permanent border and the final division of the state which both countries claim in full.

However, the Indian source stressed: "The basic position is that passports will have to be used, maybe along with some other documents."

India's Alok Rawat, joint secretary in the ministry of road transport, who led a nine-person team at the talks, made no comment.