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Threat of Indo-Pak war has not passed: Bush

United States President George W Bush said on Tuesday that progress had been made in defusing tensions between India and Pakistan, but warned that the threat of war between the two countries had not passed.

"We've made progress in defusing a very tense situation," Bush said at the White House after India announced it was pulling its warships from Arabian Sea and reopening its airspace to Pakistani flights.

"But so long as there's troops amassed and people are still hostile toward each other, there's always a threat that something could happen," Bush said.

"I want to thank all the countries which have been sending representatives to India and Pakistan to try to persuade both leaders that war would be a disaster," Bush said. "I'm pleased with the progress we've made, and we'll continue to work the issue," he added.

The US state department, echoing Bush, also welcomed relaxation of India-Pakistan tensions, but warned that the crisis was 'far from over'.

Terming India's opening of its airspace for Pakistani planes and pulling back of naval forces from the North Arabian Sea as steps to lessen tensions, state department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "This is what we have been working for."

"The deputy secretary (Richard Armitage) was just out there working with the Indians on these steps that have also been discussed in telephone calls between the secretary and Indian and Pakistani leaders," Boucher said.

US diplomatic efforts, he said, are in coordination with the international community to defuse tensions between India and Pakistan.

"But the crisis," said Boucher, "though it shows signs of abating, is not yet over."

He added large numbers of troops remain mobilised and 'extremists are still trying to provoke a conflict by further attacks'.

"As the deputy secretary points out, while things may be on the right course, there has to be constant international vigilance to make sure that this course is maintained," he said.

PTI and Reuters

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