Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 15, 2002
US, British Leaders Discuss Kashmir, Mideast Crisis
U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a telephone discussion Friday on the tensions between India and Pakistan and the situation in the Middle East, the White House said.
U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a telephone discussion Friday on the tensions between India and Pakistan and the situation in the Middle East, the White House said.
Bush and Blair "discussed ongoing efforts to help India and Pakistan continue reducing tensions and continue moving in the direction of de-escalation. They talked about the progress being made and the need to continue to get both parties to take steps toward de-escalation," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.
During their 15-minute conversation, the two leaders also exchanged views on the Middle East and discussed ways to move forward the peace process, McClellan said.
Tensions between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan remained high on Friday as intense shelling resumed in Jammu and Kashmir areas.
But a senior Indian government official said on Thursday that India is considering withdrawal of some fighter aircraft and ground troops from its border with Pakistan, possibly within the next several weeks, if it sees further evidence that Pakistan is ending its support for Islamic militants in Kashmir.
On Thursday, Bush indicated in a meeting with the Saudi foreignminister that he had made up his mind to announce a plan supporting the creation of a Palestinian state in order to give some immediate hope to Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.