October 13, 2001	Saturday	Rajab 25, 1422

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WASHINGTON, Oct 12: Rising tension between Pakistan and India during the US attacks on Afghanistan has made Kashmir the “most dangerous place in the world”, a senior US official said on Thursday,

“There is a very high degree of tension over Kashmir,” Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said on the eve of a weekend trip to South Asia by his boss, Secretary of State Colin Powell.

“One of the reasons (Powell) is going to South Asia is to probe the minds of the Pakistanis and the Indians and see if there is not a way to lower the temperature,” he said.

Armitage recalled that former CIA director William Webster had called Kashmir “the most dangerous place in the world” as Pakistan and India faced off over Kashmir in 1990.

“You had two then-third world powers armed with nuclear weapons who were shooting, shouting and glaring at each other,” Armitage said.

Webster “was right 11 years ago and I think he is still right now and that’s one of the reasons the secretary is going”.

Armitage said in addition to addressing the Kashmir concerns, Powell would also be thanking Pakistan and India for their help in the coalition.

The deputy secretary said Washington had been impressed by the manner in which President Pervez Musharraf had managed to keep control of the country after deciding to cooperate with the United States.

“The consolidation of stability in Pakistan has been quicker and greater than originally expected and probably better than the government of Pakistan had expected originally,” he said.—AFP