Bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan are unlikely to be resumed this year despite "positive signals" from the Indian government, reports said Sunday.

"Dates seem to be a problem now both for the Asia Cup as well as the revival of bilateral cricketing relations," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya said.

Dalmiya met Saturday his Pakistani counterpart Tauqir Zia at an Asian Cricket Foundation meeting in Dubai to resolve the impasse arising out of the Indian government's refusal to sanction bilateral matches with its neighbour.

"It was a beginning, what with our government also indicating that they are keen to resume bilateral sporting ties. However, we were in no position to commit anything," Dalmiya told the Times of India newspaper.

The meeting failed to find a slot for the Asia Cup before next

February, the paper said.

Dalmiya said the revival of bilateral ties between the two countries would take some time despite the positive signals from the Indian government.

"It may take until early next year because of many reasons. Many of our cricketers are injured, while we have also allowed some of our players to play county cricket in England," he said.

The Indian board had urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in a letter before the Dubai meeting to use his office to favourably consider its request to resume bilateral matches with Pakistan to avoid international isolation.

The letter was handed over to the prime minister a couple of days ago by board official and MP Rajiv Shukla and was under consideration, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

"If India does not play Pakistan, the equilibrium of world cricket will be severely affected because the World Championship cannot be decided. India may be totally isolated in world cricket," the letter said.

The government has yet to announce its decision.

Pakistan last month pulled out of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka after the Indian government refused its team permission to play a scheduled Test series in Pakistan in protest at Islamabad's alleged support of militancy in Kashmir.

The Indian team, however, is allowed to play Pakistan in multination events, like the World Cup and Asia Cup. The two sides met in the recent World Cup in South Africa in March.

India have not played a Test match in Pakistan since 1989, while Pakistan played three Tests in India in 1999-2000 despite threats from Hindu fundamentalists.

The BCCI has already proposed resuming bilateral tours at neutral venues but said it was willing to abide by the government policy.

"The board fully appreciated and honoured the government's stand in this respect. But the BCCI, being a member of the world cricket parent body the International Cricket Council (ICC), it is now in a rather embarrassing position," the letter said.