NEW DELHI, May 25: President Pervez Musharraf made a telephone call on Tuesday to Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and invited her to visit Islamabad.

The president congratulated Ms Gandhi on her party's election victory and sought her support for peace talks between the two countries, foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

Ms Gandhi thanked the president and said her party had always backed the peace initiative with Pakistan. Both leaders underlined the need for continuing the dialogue process.

The president had already spoken with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the two vowed to continue the ongoing peace process launched by the outgoing government headed by the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Ms Gandhi was the Congress Party's choice for the prime ministerial post, but she had turned the offer down and instead nominated Mr Singh to the position. Relations between Islamabad and New Delhi have improved following matching peace moves by both countries culminating in a joint statement issued in January pledging to hold peace talks.

Dialogue on reducing the threat of nuclear war was due to start on Tuesday but was delayed at India's request because of the change of government, the Pakistani foreign office said.-AFP

Jawed Naqvi adds: India and Pakistan expressed their shared view on Tuesday that people of the two countries were the main drivers in a mutual quest for peace, the Indian foreign ministry spokesman said.

He said Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri spoke to his Indian counterpart Kunwar Natwar Singh and that the two ministers expressed determination to expedite the present process in Indo-Pakistan relations.

Mr Kasuri's seven-minute telephonic call to his Indian counterpart followed a congratulatory message on Mr Natwar's assumption of office. "Both ministers expressed their determination to continue and further expedite the present process in India-Pakistan relations, building upon the support provided by the people in both the countries," the spokesman said.

Mr Natwar recalled that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his recent conversation with President Musharraf had conveyed support for the peace process. The premier had also emphasized the need for it to continue in an atmosphere 'free from the menace of terrorism and violence'. Both ministers agreed to remain in constant touch, the spokesman said.