Washington, Apr 11 (IANS): Welcoming the Delhi meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, the United States has expressed the hope that the two South Asian neighbours continue their dialogue.

"We hope that India and Pakistan continue to build on this progress, and we look forward to more such meetings," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters Monday.

The US was "very pleased" at the Sunday meeting between the two leaders and Mamohan Singh's acceptance of Zardari's invitation to visit Pakistan in the near future, she said

Washington believed that expanded and improved engagement between India and Pakistan was "not only going to help the neighbours, they're going to help the entire region," Nuland said.

It would also "provide opportunities for millions of citizens in the neighbourhood to live in a more secure and stable region," she said. "So, we applaud the trend."

In response to a question about the Siachen issue, the spokesperson said though the United States was prepared to help, the dispute
was best settled by dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad.

"We have made clear to both India and Pakistan that we are prepared to be supportive in any way that might be helpful but that primarily we see this being settled by dialogue between them," she said.

The over 6,000-metres high Siachen glacier region is described as the world's highest battleground where Indian and Pakistani armies have fought and faced off since April 1984.