India, Pakistan need to improve relationship: NATO chief

NEW DELHI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called on India and Pakistan to put aside their differences and focus on improving bilateral relations for the sake of stability in Afghanistan as well as a safer South Asia, according to a leading Indian TV channel on Tuesday.

"In order to pursue a peaceful process in Afghanistan, I mean Pakistan as well as India have shared interest in stability in Afghanistan because the whole region will be affected negatively if we see a failure in Afghanistan," Rasmussen told local channel NDTV.

"And, therefore, it is crucial to improve the relationship between Pakistan and India and this is also the reason why I have suggested an intensified dialogue between India and NATO. But I think dialogue will serve the purpose of ensuring a positive development in the region," he added.

New Delhi suspended the composite dialogue with Islamabad after the Mumbai terror attacks in Nov. 2008. The two countries held foreign secretary-level talks last month to resume official dialogue.