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To: Ish who wrote (13780)	5/31/2002 11:29:18 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

U.S. urges Americans to leave India msnbc.com May 31 -- The United States is considering its diplomatic options as it tries to avert an all out war between two important allies, India and Pakistan. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports. Bush orders Rumsfeld to region to try to avert Kashmir war NBC, MSNBC AND NEWS SERVICES May 31 — The State Department on Friday advised all but essential U.S. diplomats in India to leave and urged about 60,000 Americans there to depart as well because of a rising risk of conflict between India and Pakistan. Pakistan, meanwhile, withdrew more troops from the Afghan border, possibly to move them to the Kashmir frontier for a face-off with India. • Yellow Pages • Auctions at uBid • Personals Channel • Professional Tips • Newsletters • Shopping Photojournalist Gary Knight depicts a region torn by two nuclear powers and a movement for independence. “TENSIONS HAVE RISEN to serious levels” and those Americans who choose to remain should steer clear of all border areas between the two countries, the State Department said. The warning cited artillery exchanges between Indian and Pakistani troops and said terrorist groups linked to the al-Qaida network and implicated in attacks on Americans have attacked and killed civilians. In Pakistan, where Americans are also considered to be at risk from militant Islamists, the U.S. Embassy had already cut staffing levels to a minimum under an “ordered” departure. For the time being, at least, the State Department passed up the tougher step of ordering non-emergency U.S. employees to depart India. But a U.S. special operations team was en route to India from Hawaii to plan for a possible full evacuation of more than 1,100 U.S. troops and many thousands of citizens from the two countries in the event that hostilities get out of hand. In depth: To the brink in South Asia There are about 600 U.S. diplomatic workers and dependents in India, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. While he stressed the potential for conflict, Boucher also said Pakistani authorities apparently have issued instructions to halt the influx of militants into Kashmir — a key demand of India and a move that could ease tensions considerably. “We are still looking for confirmation of results on the ground,” Boucher said. President Bush was informed of the State Department’s decision early Friday. It was not clear how many Americans would take the State Department’s advice. Those who do will depart on commercial flights, which are plentiful, a senior U.S. official said. OTHER NATIONALS ADVISED TO LEAVE Dependents of nonessential U.S. personnel in the embassy in New Delhi and U.S. consulates in Calcutta, Mumbai and Madras also were encouraged to depart at U.S. government expense. Britain, New Zealand, Canada and Australia also urged their citizens to consider leaving India, saying a dangerous situation between Indian and Pakistani forces was developing.