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Politics : War -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: chalu2 who wrote (14986)	5/31/2002 8:29:24 PM
From: ChinuSFO	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 23908

Rumsfeld launched to warn off war By Roy Eccleston, Washington correspondent 01jun02 FEARING an India-Pakistan nuclear war that could kill millions, the US is dispatching Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to the region to bolster urgent international diplomatic efforts to avert a disaster. President George W. Bush issued yesterday his toughest comments yet to Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf, telling his ally in the war on al-Qa'ida that he must prevent terrorist incursions into Kashmir. But the US admitted that despite pressing both sides not to use nuclear weapons, it had been given no guarantees. Mr Bush also flagged the possible evacuation of more than 65,000 Americans on the subcontinent, including about 1000 troops, saying the administration was "analysing what it would take to protect American lives if need be". "We're part of an international coalition applying pressure to both parties, particularly President Musharraf," Mr Bush said yesterday as the rival nations again exchanged artillery fire. He demanded the Pakistani leader stop the incursions across the line of control – the demarcation line that splits the disputed territory, across which both sides fight from heavily armed positions. "He must do so. He said he would do so. We and others are making it clear to him that he must live up to his word," Mr Bush said. The US leader urged both sides to step back from the brink. "We are making it very clear to both Pakistan and India that war will not serve their interests." US Secretary of State Colin Powell said he was in constant touch with leaders in both countries and "I have made it clear that (nuclear weapons) really can't be in anyone's mind". Mr Rumsfeld will follow Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who is expected to visit India and Pakistan next Thursday and Friday, but no firm date was announced. Analysis shows a conventional war between the two countries could easily escalate quickly into a nuclear conflict. A recent Princeton University study predicted that if both sides exploded just five nuclear weapons above their rival's biggest cities, 3 million would die, 1.4 million would be seriously injured and an unknown number would die of radiation poisoning. The US is working with the European Union, Britain, Russia, China and the UN to head-off a crisis. While Mr Rumsfeld declined to talk about his mission, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the Pentagon chief would take with him "logic and diplomacy". "Often at times like this nations welcome the participation of others to help them find a way out of a dangerous spiral," he said. Tensions in the region, which have sparked two of the three wars between the two countries since 1947, escalated dramatically last December after an attack on the Indian parliament. theaustralian.news.com.au