May 28, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25,1424

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WASHINGTON, May 27: The United States said on Tuesday that it welcomed the decision to restore the Delhi-Lahore bus service as yet another step towards lowering of tensions in the subcontinent.

“We are encouraged by these steps and urge both countries to continue their positive actions,” a State Department official said.

Asked what other measures the US would like India and Pakistan to take, the official said: “It’s up to them. We are not laying out a road map for them.”

The official said that India and Pakistan had recently taken several steps to improve bilateral relations that had deteriorated rapidly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

The US, he said, welcomed each of these measures because they contribute to reduction of tensions in the region.

The official said that recently two senior State Department officials visited Pakistan as part of the US effort to maintain regular contacts with the country.