05 June 2002
Bush Telephones Musharraf, Vajpayee to Urge Peace in S. Asia
(U.S. prepared to help parties resolve their differences) (320)
President Bush telephoned Pakistani President Musharraf and Indian
Prime Vaypayee June 5 to urge them to take steps to ease tensions and
reduce the risk of war, the White House said in a statement.
In his conversation with Musharraf, Bush said the United States
expects Pakistan to live up to its commitment to end all support for
terrorism, the statement said.
Speaking with Vaypayee, Bush stressed the need for India to respond
with de-escalatory steps, the statement said.
Bush urged both leaders to choose the path of diplomacy, the statement
said.
The statement said South Asia is a region of tremendous potential and
the United States is ready to help both parties resolve the
differences that divide them.
Following is the text of the White House statement:
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary June 5, 2002
STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY
Today, President Bush telephoned the leaders of India and Pakistan,
urging them to take steps that will ease tensions in the region and
reduce the risk of war -- a message Deputy Secretary of State Armitage
and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld will reiterate during their trips to
South Asia.
The President reiterated to President Musharraf that the United States
expects Pakistan to live up to the commitment to end all support for
terrorism. The President emphasized to Prime Minister Vajpayee the
need for India to respond with de-escalatory steps. To both leaders,
the President stressed the need to choose the path of diplomacy.
South Asia is a region of tremendous potential. Armed conflict will do
nothing to improve the lives of the people of India or Pakistan. It
will instead blot the future of both nations. The United States is
ready to help the parties in their efforts to resolve the many
underlying issues that divide them.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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