US Working Actively to Defuse Pak-India Tension: Bush

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 29, 2001

US Working Actively to Defuse Pak-India Tension: Bush

U.S. President Bush has said that the United States is working actively to bring calm to India and Pakistan and to convince both sides to ease escalating tensions along their border.

U.S. President Bush has said that the United States is working actively to bring calm to India and Pakistan and to convince both sides to ease escalating tensions along their border.

"I hope 2002 will be a year of peace, but I am realistic," Bush said during a press briefing with Gen Tommy Franks, chief of US Central Command, Friday at Bush's ranch in Texas.

He said he discussed escalating tensions between India and Pakistan with his national security advisers and that Secretary of State Colin Powell had spoken with both sides, urging restraint. Bush also praised Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, for arresting 50 "extremists or terrorists".

Noting that Secretary of State Colin Powell had called both sides on Friday to urge calm, Bush said: "My government and my administration is working actively to bring some calm in the region to hopefully convince both sides to stop the escalation of force."

Bush said that he had not yet personally telephoned Musharraf or Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. "I will if need be," he said. Bush made a point of praising Musharraf's response to India's demand that the perpetrators of the attack be arrested. "I was pleased -- I'm pleased to note that President Musharraf has announced the arrest of 50 extreme terrorists -- extremists or terrorists," Bush said. "And I hope India takes note of that, that the president is responding forcefully and actively to bring those who would harm others to justice."

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