President Pervez Musharraf, ending his weeklong visit to the United States, has promised to do much more than India to bring peace to South Asia and urged Pakistanis to consider recognising Israel.

If India takes one step Pakistan will take two on the road to peace and prosperity, the Pakistani leader told a business gathering in California on Saturday.

Musharraf reiterated his call for a more effective role by the lone superpower in promoting peace in South Asia.

Pakistan wants peace and the U.S. can play an "important role" in pushing the peace efforts forward, he said, emphasising that the long-running Kashmir dispute is the source of all tension between the two South Asian countries.

Islamabad wants a composite dialogue with India covering all issues and talks to be held on the basis of sovereign equality and without any attempt to sideline the Kashmir dispute. "Pakistan cannot be coerced or dictated terms."

Musharraf, speaking in Los Angeles the same day, said international community should pressure India to restrain it from stockpiling arms. He highlighted Pakistan's consistent and determined role in the fight against terrorism as a pivotal ally in the U.S.-led colation against the menace.

He called on the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to play a leading role in addressing political issues and challenges confronting the Muslim world.

Musharraf is visiting Germany on the second leg of his current foreign tour and will also visit France before returning home in the first week of July.

Meanwhile as the Middle East struggles with its road map to peace, Musharraf yesterday urged his countrymen to consider recognizing Israel, a position strongly opposed by Islamic hardliners.

"This is the responsibility of the nation to decide. This should be seriously thought over. The media should have an open debate on this," Musharraf said in an interview aired yesterday by the private Geo Television channel.

"The debate should be serious. There should be no emotionalism of the extremists," he said. "What is our dispute (with Israel)? We should think," he said.

Musharraf explained that if countries that have disputes with Israel are moving toward peace with it, Pakistan should also rethink its policy.

Pakistan has no ties with Israel and its citizens are not allowed to travel to Israel. But the issue of recognizing Israel has been an emotional one in Pakistan, where Musharraf is already under attack by religious hardliners for his support of the U.S.-led anti-terror campaign in neighboring Afghanistan.

"Musharraf is paving the way for recognizing Israel," said Maulana Fazl-ur Rahman, speaking to reporters yesteday in Multan, south of Islamabad. He threatened nationwide protests if Musharraf pressed for Israel's recognition.

– With inputs from AP