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DHAKA, Jan 3: British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned on Thursday that mounting tensions between India and Pakistan could boil over and create “enormous problems” for global stability if the situation got out of hand.
At the start of a tour that will also take him to India and Pakistan, he said he would try to exert a “calming” influence on the two nations, which are engaged in their biggest military buildup for 15 years.
“The dangers...are obvious. Two very powerful countries in an area where traditionally there has been a lot of conflict and instability. It’s extremely important given the military capability of both powers that we do everything we can to calm the situation.”
Blair said he had spoken several times to US President George W. Bush in the last few days because the situation was so serious.
“It is a very serious issue with potentially far-reaching and damaging consequences if the tension gets out of hand.”
But he said he had no illusions about being able to solve the dispute over the border region of Kashmir and said it was not his place to do so.
“I’m not going to start telling each country how to run their own affairs. That is not my objective. Of course what we want is for Pakistan to take action against terrorism and on the Indian side to de-escalate tension as much as possible.”
MUSLIMS PROTEST: Shortly before Blair arrived in Dhaka police broke up protests by hundreds of Muslims opposed to the war in Afghanistan.
Armed with automatic rifles, batons and teargas, police drove away around 500 people demonstrating in support of Osama bin Laden.
But Blair urged Bangladesh to contribute troops to the international stabilization force in Afghanistan.
He said it was important that Muslim nations in the region made a contribution to the force.
“We would like to see (Bangladesh) as part of the stabilization force in Afghanistan,” Blair told reporters, adding that he would raise the issue in talks with Bangladesh leaders.
“Having led this mission, as far as we are concerned it is important to have regional partners to take a share of the burden sharing in the future.”
He added: “I am sure it is right to have Muslim countries involved.”
Blair said that “over time” Britain wanted to reduce its own commitment to the international stabilization force and “allow others to step in”.
A reconnaissance team from 12 nations contributing to the security force in Kabul began inspecting the city on Wednesday.
The 25-strong team from Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Romania met British troops at the force’s headquarters in a former sports club.—Reuters
