WASHINGTON, June 21: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Friday said tensions between Pakistan and India appeared to be “improving modestly” and he was hopeful the conflict would continue to ease.

“The military situations on the ground and the respective levels of alert in India and Pakistan are improving modestly,” Rumsfeld said while talking to reporters at the Washington Foreign Press Center.

“Both nations are taking some initial steps, that while not definitive and not fully tested as yet, are indeed having a positive effect,” he said.

Pakistan has “significantly reduced infiltration across the line”, Rumsfeld said, referring to the Line of Control.

“I’m hopeful that we’ll see continued relief, easing of those tensions in the period ahead,” he said.

Both countries had indicated a desire for continued US involvement to defuse the crisis, Rumsfeld said. “The United States will continue to work with them to try to find additional ways to further reduce tensions.”—Reuters