By Charles Havilland in Kathmandu

India has ruled out any early resumption of bilateral talks with Pakistan, describing the neighbouring state as the "epicentre of terrorism" in the South Asia.

The Indian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Nirupama Rao was responding to comments made by Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf.

He said on Monday that the possibility of continued infiltration by militants into Indian Kashmir could not be ruled out.

"If 700,000 Indian troops couldn't block the borders, how could Pakistan?", he asked.

Foreign ministers - including those of both India and Pakistan - are gathering in Kathmandu for a regional meeting which seems set to be dominated by tensions between the two nuclear armed neighbours.

No dialogue

Speaking to the BBC in Kathmandu, Ms Rao said his remarks showed Pakistan had an agenda that "seeks to propagate violence, terrorism and instability" in the run up to Kashmir's elections due to begin next month.

Describing Pakistan as the epicentre and vortex of terrorism in the region, she said that unless it put a visible end to infiltration and to the infrastructure of terror there were no prospects for the resumption of dialogue between the two neighbours.

As Saarc foreign ministers arrive for their talks, the big question is whether the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers will exchange so much as a word.

The seven Saarc countries have plenty on their agenda, including poverty alleviation, trade liberalisation and stopping the trafficking of women and children for prostitution.

But as before at Saarc meetings, progress on vital matters of human development is likely to be hampered by the seemingly endless Indo-Pakistani stand-off.