WASHINGTON: Ruling out any solution from "outside" to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, US President Barack Obama on Sunday underlined that the disputes between India and Pakistan could only be found by the two countries themselves.

Welcoming the Indo-Pak dialogue process, he said, "It is not the place of any nation, including the United States, to try to impose solutions from outside.

"The nations must meet their responsibilities and all of us have a profound interest in a Pakistan that is stable, prosperous and democratic," the US president remarked.

Barack Obama was replying to a question on the current state of Indo-Pak relations and the best way forward for the two countries to resolve their bilateral matters, including Jammu and Kashmir.

Obama told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that the US welcomed the dialogues and lessening of Indo-Pak tensions, which would be good for South Asia and for the world.

"President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to India was encouraging. Increased trade and people-to-people contacts between India and Pakistan can lead to greater prosperity and understanding on both the sides," he opined. "Efforts in New Delhi and Islamabad to improve relations give hope for further progress, including a possible visit to Pakistan by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," he said.

The US leader answered questions on the future of Afghanistan and India's role in it, as well as the US strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, which is seen by some commentators as making India a counterweight to the growing military and economic muscle of China.

"India will be critical to Afghanistan's future," he said pointing out that it had also been critical to Afghanistan's progress to date.