The leaders of India and Pakistan discussed ways to resolve the poisonous dispute over Kashmir during their historic meeting on the sidelines of a South Asian summit, Pakistani officials said today, predicting a breakthrough in relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Building on momentum toward better relations after a half-century of venom, the leaders of nuclear rivals Pakistan and India held much-anticipated face-to-face talks today.

Pakistan’s military president met with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today on the sidelines of a South Asian summit, building on momentum toward better relations after a half-century of venom.

India’s prime minister snubbed Pakistan’s president and shrugged off his plea for dialogue today, apparently ending all possibility of talks between the nuclear-armed nations whose armies are on high alert.

Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers will sit at the same table tomorrow for the first time since the dispute over Islamic militant attacks on India’s Parliament pushed the nuclear neighbours to the brink of war.