The Indian Congress party, all set to lead a coalition government, favors closest relations with China and the Unites States, and will resolutely continue the peace process with Pakistan.

On India's relations with China, K Natwar Singh, widely tipped to become the new foreign minister, said on Sunday that "we place the highest importance to this."

In a wide-ranging interview to the Press Trust of India, Singh,Chairman of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Foreign Affairs Department, said the process to improve relations with China was started by the then-Congress Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhiin December, 1988, which was a real breakthrough. Singh was a member of that delegation.

During the last five years, the Congress had always stressed onthe importance of positive forward movement in Sino-Indian ties, he said.

"We will take this process of improving bilateral relations further in all areas," he said.

Asked whether the process of speeding up resolution of the protracted boundary issue would be continued, he said there will be no abrupt departure on this.

In the interview, Singh also said the new government would attach great importance to the relations with the United States.

"We are for the closest relations with the US. It is in our interest and it is in their interest (to move in this direction). We are two great democracies," he said.

On the US suggestion that with UN presence in Iraq after June 30 by when the coalition forces have expressed their readiness to withdraw, countries like India could extend support, including sending its troops to work under the aegis of the world body in the war-ravaged country, Singh said they would examine the issue very carefully because "we don't want to annoy Iraq to satisfy some other countries."

On a question whether a new road map would be charted out to take the peace process forward with Pakistan, Singh, a former minister of state for external affairs, said the peace process will be resolutely continued.

He said the new government will have a consistent Pakistan policy and every aspect will be discussed under the 1972 Simla agreement and subsequent declarations and agreements.

Singh said throughout the last five years, the Congress party had given its broad support to the Vajpayee government for improving relations with Pakistan.

Singh, 73, is a veteran diplomat and has served as India's ambassador to Pakistan and Poland besides being High Commissioner to Zambia and Deputy High Commissioner to Britain.