India and Pakistan have given opposite responses to an offer by Japan to sponsor talks to help resolve the Kashmir dispute.

A Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement welcomed the idea, saying the Kashmir issue was the key to defusing the nuclear crisis.

The Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said there was no place for third party mediation in India's relations with Pakistan.

Buthe said India was willing to discuss global nuclear disarmament with the other nuclear powers.

The American Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, said outside mediation between India and Pakistan was premature.