The United States has offered its 'good offices' to India and Pakistan to keep the peace process moving forward.

"We will lend our good offices to our Indian and Pakistani friends to whatever purpose those good offices can be used to keep this process moving forward," Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Washington on Thursday.

"I had a good conversation with President (Pervez) Musharraf and Foreign Minister (Yashwant) Sinha of India and Foreign Minister Kasuri of Pakistan on this," he added.

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Describing the decision by India and Pakistan to commence talks, during the recent SAARC summit, as historic, Powell praised both the countries for the progress they made in the peace process.

"Take a look at what happened on the subcontinent with the Indians and Pakistanis reaching what has been characterised as an historic agreement the other day," he said

"Many of you will remember a year and half ago where our problem was. Is war about to break out and might it go nuclear? And you remember how much time the entire international community devoted to that. And yet we see this kind of progress, people desiring stability, people desiring peace," Powell said.