Islamabad - US Senator John Kerry urged India and Pakistan to keep the channels of diplomacy open to counter terrorism and remove misunderstandings that could threaten regional peace, media reports said Wednesday.

Kerry, the next chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the remarks Tuesday in Islamabad, where he arrived from New Delhi as part of Washington's efforts to defuse tensions stemming from last month's Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Manama, Bahrain - US Defence Secretary Robert Gates called on the international community to exercise more economic pressure on Iran in line with UN resolutions to help bring a halt to its nuclear programme and expanding power in the region.

Gates, who was speaking during an address to the Manama Dialogue security conference in Bahrain, also urged Gulf countries to include Iraq in the Gulf Cooperation Council and forgive Baghdad's debts.

Taipei - Taiwan's cabinet on Thursday approved amendments to a law that would greatly ease current restrictions on Chinese spouses living on the island.

"With the amendments, mainland spouses will be able to get identify cards here in six years instead of eight years as required currently," said Lai Shin-yuan, chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council, the island's top China policy planning body, at a news conference.

She said the revisions, which still need approval from parliament, would also allow Chinese spouses of Taiwanese people to work immediately after they enter Taiwan legally.

Athens - Chinese President Hu Jintao is scheduled to arrive in Athens on Monday for an official three-day visit.

The Chinese president's trip to Greece follows a regional tour of South America, Central America and Cuba where he sealed trade and investment deals with Costa Rica, Cuba and Peru.

China told the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Lima, Peru over the past weekend that his government wants to help shore up worldwide growth and reform global financial rules.

New Delhi - Tibetan exiles ended a crucial meeting on their future in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala Saturday, agreeing to take a firmer stand in dealings with China, delegates said.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama called the special meeting after admitting in October that his "middle way" policy of securing greater autonomy for Tibetans within China had failed.

More than 600 Tibetan exiles attended the week-long meeting which saw intense discussions on whether there should be a shift of policy to advocate independence, a move which many of the younger generation advocated.