Washington, Dec 10 (IANS): The US says it would like India and Pakistan to continue to have a dialogue to reach diplomatic solutions to some of the thorny problems which the two countries still face.

"What we want to see, is for India and Pakistan to bilaterally work out the issues between them," State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday when asked if the US "approved of" Pakistani generals directly talking with Indian officials.

"And we would leave it to those countries to determine who's going to have what meeting and who's going to sit in on what discussion," he said.

"We want to see the discussions continue, so we're encouraged by the recent dialogue between India and Pakistan. It's exactly what we've been strongly trying to encourage," Kirby said.

On the "meetings that Pakistani generals have had here in the United States," Kirby said "that's nothing new."

"They've been coming to visit counterparts here in the United States for quite some time, as do our military leaders go to Islamabad," he said.

"Our bilateral relations with Pakistan are important, and they're going to continue to be important, not just with the military but with the elected officials as well."