Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for a step-by-step approach to peace between India and Pakistan Saturday night and said that the people of South Asia do not need further divisions but greater unity.

"The journey of peace must be based on a step-by-step approach, but the road must be traveled. As an ancient saying goes, a road is made by walking," the prime minister said in a speech at a banquet he hosted in honor of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who arrived here Saturday evening on a three-day visit.

"Mr. President, let us travel together on this path to realize our shared vision of what the future holds for all of us," Manmohan Singh told Musharraf.

"Our people and our common destiny urge us to make an earnest attempt to find a lasting solution to all issues. In a globalising and increasingly integrated world, borders have lost meaning for much of the world," the prime minister said.

"We cannot rewrite the past, but we can build a more secure future," he said. "The time has come to find an enduring solution to all the problems between the two countries. The people of our countries need a positive outcome and must not remain trapped in a zero-sum situation."

"We must find practical ways and means to resolve all outstanding issues between us in a reasonable, pragmatic manner, cognizant of the ground realities," he added.

Source: Xinhua