Leaders of five powerful nations (P-5), including United States President George W Bush [ Images ], have supported the Indian stand that cross-border terrorism from Pakistan should end.

Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of his weeklong three-nation tour, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee [ Images ] said, "There is a global support (for the Indian position). They say you talk (to Pakistan). We will make our efforts to see that cross-border violence ends."

Even the Chinese President Hu Jintao, he said, appreciated India's [ Images ] peace initiative.

Asked whether Bush gave an assurance that he would put pressure on President Pervez Musharraf [ Images ] when the Pakistani ruler meets him in Washington later this month, Vajpayee said, "It is difficult to express it in words."

At a dinner hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin [ Images ] in St Petersburg [ Images ] for visiting heads of State and government, Bush assured Vajpayee that he would take up the issue of cross-border terrorism with Musharraf when he meets him in Washington later this month.

Bush, Vajpayee said, wanted to know whether India has started a dialogue with Pakistan. "I told him preliminary discussions have started. The real and substantive will take time. For that the cross-border terrorism should end and steps have to be taken to destroy the infrastructure that supports violence."

The US president, he said replied, 'Yes, I know. It is necessary that it (ends). And I will tell him (Musharraf) that. He did not say I will put pressure'.

Asked what he felt about the assurance and whether the US would put pressure, he said "Let's see."