Powell urges Pakistan to do more

Mr Powell said tensions remained dangerously high

		By Jon Leyne BBC correspondent at the US State Department

The US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has taken a leading role in efforts to defuse the crisis between India and Pakistan, has stressed the need of both sides to step up efforts to avoid a conflict.

Is there more President Musharraf can do? I'm sure there is

Colin Powell
US Secretary of State

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Powell said he had seen some encouraging signs and praised the attempts of both countries to try to find a solution to the present situation.

But he said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf could do more to rein in the organisations India holds responsible for an attack on the Delhi parliament last month.

He urged the leaders of both countries to make efforts to meet at a summit they are both attending in Nepal.

De-escalation

The secretary of state said President Bush was also thinking of sending an American envoy to the region.

There has been a massive build-up of troops

Mr Powell suggested that India and Pakistan needed in due course to begin a dialogue over the issue of Kashmir, but he said the immediate focus should be to stabilise then de-escalate the current crisis.

"One way that we're all working toward now is to get the Pakistani government to take action against these terrorist organisations and President Musharraf is doing so," he said.

"Is there more he can do? I'm sure there is and I expect him to do more. Every day for the past week or so, he has taken a step more in that direction."