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CNN Sunday Morning

Bush Administration Anxious to Stop Indian/Pakistani Tensions

Aired December 30, 2001 - 09:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SAVIDGE: Anxiety over a possible war between India and Pakistan is growing. Party leaders in New Delhi say that they will support Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee if he decides to call for military action.

Meanwhile, world leaders are calling on both sides in the dispute to avoid a conflict. CNN's Senior White House Correspondent, John King, joins us live with Washington's take on the tension. Good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Martin. You mentioned the word anxiety, certainly that is a fair description of the anxiety and tensions running throughout the Bush Administration.

President Bush himself on the ranch in Crawford, Texas for another week or so, but he picked up the phone yesterday to try to intervene in this dispute between India and Pakistan.

Mr. Bush calling the President of Pakistan, General Musharraf urging him, in the words of a White House spokesman, "to take additional strong and decisive measures to eliminate extremists who seek to harm India, undermine Pakistan, and provoke a war."

Mr. Bush also calling Prime Minister Vajpayee of India, promising U.S. cooperation in the War on Terrorism, calling the attacks on India's Parliament a week or so back, a strike against democracy. Mr. Bush, though, we are also told urged Prime Minister Vajpayee to give diplomacy a chance.

U.S. officials say they are very alarmed by the buildup of troops by both countries along the border, much higher troop buildups they say than the last time India and Pakistan had such an escalation of tensions. That was two summers ago.

Mr. Bush also called the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, yesterday. Mr. Blair is headed to the region in the week ahead. Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair comparing notes, as they lead an international diplomatic effort, trying to ease these tensions between India and Pakistan. Obviously, two nuclear rivals, this a major standoff in any event.

U.S. officials also concerned though that as Pakistan's military deals now with this standoff with India, it could undermine the cooperation in the War on Terrorism and policing the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Martin.

SAVIDGE: CNN's John King, bringing us up to date from the White House, thank you very much.

KING: Thank you.

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