Vajpayee and Musharraf - face 'gargantuan problems'

And they are cautiously optimistic about the long term prospects of peace between the two countries.

The bottom line sentiment is that the Islamabad summit where the two men announced their agreement has been a good beginning but both countries need to tread carefully to bring about peace in the subcontinent.

"A dream begins," is the headline for India's Asian Age newspaper.

"Passage to peace opens," chimes the headline of The Pioneer.

The Hindu describes the decision to commence talks as "a giant step forward".

'Last chance'

According to an editorial in the Indian Express: "The summit has opened the route to dialogue between India and Pakistan and what the two make of this would depend upon how seriously they invest the process with sincerity and dedication."

But the paper warns: "This may well be the last opportunity, not just for Vajpayee, but for the co-operative peace between Pakistan and India."

The problems may be daunting, but they are not beyond solutions Dawn newspaper

The Hindu says the leaders of two countries have "energised the ongoing process of positive engagement" by agreeing to restart talks in February.

But the newspaper says: "India will continue to be cautious about dealing with a Pakistani establishment that is ultimately controlled by General Musharraf."

"It will not be in a hurry to conclude that the military-dominated Pakistani establishment has made an irreversible strategic decision in favour of friendship, co-operation and amity."

'Diplomatic triumph'

Newspapers in Pakistan also avoid hyping the summit, but are upbeat about the prospects for peace.

[Vajpayee] demonstrated a high level of statesmanship when he acquiesced to reopening a dialogue on the Kashmir issue The News

"For Pakistan, the Musharraf-Vajpayee meeting and the scheduled beginning of a dialogue next month will be seen as constituting a small diplomatic triumph," the Dawn newspaper says.

"The problems that the leaders of Pakistan and India face are gargantuan. They are as much a leftover of history as they are a result of the mess the two sides have made of their relationship," Dawn says.

"The problems may be daunting, but they are not beyond solutions. Given a sense of realism and a shared vision - the vision of a South Asia free from tension and conflict - Pakistan and India can make it."

'Constructive approach'

The Daily Times says there were no high expectations from the summit, but leaders of both the countries showed a lot of flexibility.

"This time around there is less keenness on both sides to push the other party into agreeing to this or that conditionality or getting the officials on both sides to take tough positions, deadlock the talks and head back home telling newspapers how 'not an inch was given'," the Daily Times says.

The News says Mr Vajpayee "demonstrated a high level of statesmanship when he acquiesced to reopening a dialogue on the Kashmir issue."

"Such a constructive approach on both sides accompanied by a readiness to make concessions will succeed in overcoming the most formidable obstructions," The News says.

The Urdu-language newspaper Kaainat urges that the "international community should play its due role in this regard".