Kerry says spoke with Pakistani leader on India tensions

Washington: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he expressed his concerns to Pakistan's prime minister on Tuesday about the recent increase in public tensions between his country and nuclear- armed rival India.

 

"It's of enormous concern to all of us for all the obvious reasons," Kerry told reporters. "These are two very, very important countries, playing a critical role with respect to regional interests."

 

Kerry said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was "extremely forthcoming" and said he had just spoken with his Indian counterpart. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Muslim-majority Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.

 

The Indian army, which killed 59 militants near the line separating Indian- and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir last year, says it has seen a rise in infiltration attempts in recent weeks. On June 6, it killed three militants along the disputed border, foiling the third infiltration attempt in two weeks.

 

"It's very, very important that there be no misinterpretation or miscalculation with respect to any of the back-and-forth and the empowerment some entities might feel as a result of that," Kerry said as he prepared to return to Washington after a bicycle accident sidelined him for two weeks.