Pakistan today urged India to withdraw troops from its part of divided Kashmir, saying any such move by New Delhi would have a “very positive impact” on the peace process between the two nations.

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld assured Pakistan the US would help the predominantly Islamic nation meet its “legitimate” defence needs, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman said today.

Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan expelled each other’s top diplomats today, virtually slamming the door on hopes for a dialogue to settle the long-standing Kashmir dispute.

The Palestinians have insisted that Israel must end its occupation to make way for a Palestinian state to bring peace to the region - a view backed by many Arab and non-Arab countries alike.