Bush Urged for Self-Control of India-Pakistan

The war clouds hung over India and Pakistan, U.S. President George W. Bush called to the leaders of both countries to urge them to ease the tension and to restrain themselves from the military operation.

Bush made phone calls from Crawford Ranch in Texas to India`s Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and repeatedly emphasized the self-control of the both countries, reminding them of the key role of India as a major democratic nation in the region and the function of Pakistan as a major alliance for the war on terrorism.

Previously, India`s Prime Minister Vajpayee turned down the request of Pakistani President Musharraf for a summit talk, warning "India will try its best to prevent the war but the Indian people will prepare for any possible situation." However, India accepted the request of Pakistan for the passage of the Pakistani flight to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit talks through the Indian territorial sky.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Foreign Minister announced, "To respond properly to the potential threat from India, [Pakistan Army] rearranged the military forces in the India-Pakistan borderline."

India has pointed two extremist Islamic groups in Pakistan as the wire puller of the gunshot terror to the Indian Parliament House, which tolled 14 lives, and has pressed Pakistan to punish them, stating that, if Pakistan will not punish them, India will do that by itself.

Eun-Taek Hong euntack@donga.com