Oct. 16 :    Oct. 16:  Colin Powell said in Islamabad what Pervez Musharraf wanted to hear, endorsing the President's stand that Kashmir is the key to improving relations between India and Pakistan. 'We, too, believe the Kashmir issue is central to the relationship,' the US secretary of state said. The comment, underlining a new high in ties between Washington and Islamabad, came at a joint press conference by Powell and Musharraf. But by the time Powell landed in Delhi a few hours later and spent 50 minutes with foreign minister Jaswant Singh, India officially decided to ignore the comment and unofficially insisted that it heard Powell as saying 'essential', not 'central'. India is hoping that Powell will clear the air during a joint press conference tomorrow. If he doesn't, the onus will be on Singh to state India's position. Delhi, which hoped to raise its bargaining power through the overnight, high-decibel shelling across the Line of Control, also brought down the pitch during the day. Defence minister George Fernandes chose not to comment on President George W. Bush's 'stand-down' advice to the nuclear neighbours. In a veiled reference to the shelling, Powell underscored in Islamabad the need for avoiding 'provocation'. Pakistan said its army would exercise 'maximum restraint' but would retaliate if attacked. Musharraf told reporters he had informed Powell that Islamabad desired better relations with Delhi but 'Kashmir remained at the heart of India-Pakistan tensions'. Delhi spared Powell but it was quick to issue a rejoinder to Musharraf's statement. 'The issue of Jammu and Kashmir being at the heart of India-Pakistan tension... we certainly do not agree with that premise,' foreign ministry spokesperson Nirupama Rao said. Powell said the 'beginning of a dialogue (between India and Pakistan) is the most important thing now. That is the message I will be taking to India...'. The Musharraf administration had recently renewed its invitation to Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee and Singh to visit Pakistan. But Delhi has ruled out the visits till 'cross-border terror' ends. Powell said the Kashmir issue should be resolved through 'peaceful, political and diplomatic means and not through violence and reliance on force but with a determined respect for human rights'. He thanked Musharraf for condemning the October 1 car bomb attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly even as he said terrorism has no place in the world. Powell said his visit was meant to demonstrate the US' 'enduring commitment to its relationship with Pakistan'. 'This is not just a temporary spike but we believe that as a result of actions taken by Pakistan over the last five weeks, we are surely at the beginning of a strengthened relationship,' he said. Military aid boost Turning Powell's words into action, the House of Representatives tonight rushed through a Bill already passed by the Senate to clear the way for military and economic aid to Pakistan for the next two years.