US President Mr George W Bush today urged Indian Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Mr Pervez Musharraf to work to defuse escalating tension between the two nuclear rivals.
Mr Bush "urged both leaders to work to reduce tensions in the region," said White House spokesman.
Meanwhile this afternoon Pakistan began thinning out troops along its border with Afghanistan. It had deployed the additional troops to keep Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda loyalists out of the country.
Pakistan said Mr Bush and Secretary of State Mr Colin Powell had called President Musharraf to express concern over rising tensions with India.
Mr Bush held a 20-minute telephone conversation with Mr Musharraf, and discussed in detail the threat of conflict between Pakistan and India, a government spokesman said. The conversation with Mr Powell lasted 15 minutes.
The spokesman said Mr Musharraf told the US leader that Pakistan was not looking for a fight, but that it had no choice but to stand up to India as it mounted troops on their border.
The spokesman quoted Mr Bush as saying he "appreciated" Pakistan's restraint, and the action it has taken against extremist organisations blamed for a deadly attack on India's parliament on December 13th.
Tensions between the two nuclear-capable nations have soared since the assault which left 14 people dead, including the five assailants.
New Delhi blames two Pakistan-based militant groups fighting Indian rule in the disputed Kashmir region for the attack. It wants the leaders arrested.
Pakistan has condemned the parliament attack but sought evidence from India before taking action against Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaesh-e-Mohammad outfits.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mr Abdul Sattar warned today the dispute with India was growing "dangerously tense".
Mr Sattar said Pakistan was willing to hold talks to calm border tensions, but that it would not request a meeting between Mr Musharraf and Mr Vajpayee.
Mr Sattar’s comments came after New Delhi today brushed aside Mr Musharraf's offer of talks, saying its neighbour must do more to stop militants.
Mr Vajpayee also vowed today to crush what he called cross-border terrorism but said India would do its best to avoid a war with Pakistan.
AFP and