Date:11/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/11/stories/2003041104471100.htm

International

'No need for military action in S.Asia'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, April 10, The United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, has described the situation in South Asia as "very difficult and dangerous" due to tensions between India and Pakistan and maintained that there was no need for any "military action."

In an interview to the Pakistan Television over the satellite phone from Washington, Gen. Powell said the U.S. President, George W. Bush, and himself were personally engaged in defusing the tension.

He was responding to a question on the statement made by External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, on Pakistan being a "fit case for pre-emptive" strikes a la Iraq.

Gen. Powell said that he was in touch with the leaders in India and Pakistan over the recent developments. He answered a couple of questions on the U.S. strategy in Iraq in the post-Saddam phase.