Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday appeared to make light of his remark about 'retiring' if the current India-Pakistan peace parleys fail.

When he was asked as to in what context he used the word 'retire' in his interview to a German publication, the prime minister said:  "Apneliye kaha tha."

The prime minister was talking to reporters accompanying him on his arrival in Munich on the second leg of his two-day Germany trip.

In the interview to Der Spiegel when he was asked as to what would happen if his stated last peace initiative failed, Vajpayee had said: "Then I have to accept defeat...then I retire."

Officials accompanying the prime minister said his remarks have been blown out of proportion and that they were not read in the right perspective.

They said what he was making clear was that if his peace initiative failed then perhaps he may have to give up the efforts.