Washington, Jun 26 (IANS): The United States has expressed its appreciation for the increasing dialogue between Pakistan and India, saying it's in their self-interest and larger US interest to reduce tensions through talks.

"Just as we've said many, many times, we appreciate and certainly endorse increasing dialogue between Pakistan and India," State Department spokesman Phillip J Crowley told reporters Friday when asked about the talks in Islamabad.

"It is in their self-interest and our larger interest to see dialogue that can help to resolve tensions that exist between the two countries," he said.

The US comments came as Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram met his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad Friday.

Chidambaram, the first Indian minister to visit Pakistan since the 26/11 terror attack and the first Indian home minister to visit Islamabad in three decades, is to participate in the SAARC home ministers' conference in Islamabad Saturday.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had Thursday held talks her Pakistani counterart Salman Bashir focused on trust-building measures between the two counties.