TORONTO, June 16: Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay called on Sunday for calm and urged a diplomatic approach to growing tensions between Afghan and Pakistan officials.

“We have to engage at the highest level diplomatically. We have to call for calm and that means speaking with President Karzai as well as officials inside Pakistan,” he told CTV.

“We have always been very transparent and very frank about the need for Pakistan to work with us in this effort.”

Canada has about 2,500 troops in Afghanistan as part of a Nato-led force.

Ottawa pledged earlier this year to put more focus on development as part of a deal to win opposition support to keep the Canadian military force in Afghanistan until 2011.—Reuters