New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS) Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri Thursday said the peace process with India has acquired "a life of its own" but both countries have to carry public opinion along on "some sensitive issues" to reach an understanding between them.

Acknowledging the existence of back-channel diplomacy, or "private diplomacy", between the two countries, Kasuri said the two countries have made progress on Siachen, Sir Creek and other important issues but they have to "pass the test of public opinion".

"These will have to pass the test of public opinion. We have to first of all take the opposition, the media and parliament on board," said Kasuri at a dinner organised by South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) here Thursday evening at the Taj Palace Hotel.

The Pakistan foreign minister was rounding up a three-day visit to India during which he held joint commission meetings with his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, and said the two had talked about a range of issues not covered by the composite dialogue process.

"The efforts of both countries is to arrive at some sort of understanding. What is taking so long is that they have to take it to their parties, parliament and media so that it meets as little resistance as possible."

"The peace process has acquired a life of its own and enjoys strong support on both sides," he said, adding in the same breath, "There are forces on both sides which do not favour these process."

"All is well that ends well," he said when asked why Pakistan Air Force aircraft took so long before flying off to Islamabad to ferry some of the injured victims of the peace train bombings.

Sounding optimistic about the future of the peace process, Kasuri said that the progress made during the last three years, since Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and the then Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee broke the ice, was more focused during the past few years than ever.

"There has been more focused discussion on outstanding disputes between the two countries in the last three-four years than in the last 60 years."

"The peace process is in the interest of both countries, we are trying to smooth the edges," Kasuri said while describing himself as an "optimist". He was answering a question on what the sensitive issues are that were inhibiting an understanding between the two countries.

"An issue as fundamental as Jammu and Kashmir can only go ahead with public opinion behind it," he said.

"We have made some progress on Siachen. Sir Creek is relatively easy to solve," said Kasuri, while stressing that the two countries have come a long distance since they resumed the peace process three years ago.

Kasuri had on Tuesday met the relatives of the peace train bombings at Safdarjung Hospital. The Sunday night blasts had left 68 people, mostly Pakistanis, dead and injured 50 others.