Date:01/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010157100100.htm

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Bush speaks to Manmohan, Zardari

Crawford: US President George W Bush on Wednesday spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan B President Asif Ali Zardari and all the three leaders agreed to avoid any action that would "raise tensions" in the region.

Mr. Bush "called prime minister (Manmohan) Singh of India and separately president (Asif Ali) Zardari of Pakistan. President Bush urged both ... to cooperate with each other in the Mumbai attack investigation as well as on counter-terrorism in general," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. Mr. Bush spoke from his ranch in Crawford in Texas.

"All three leaders from the United States, India and Pakistan agreed that no one wanted to take any steps that unnecessarily raise tensions," Mr. Johndroe emphasised. -PTI