BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Brunei), July 31: Asian nations and the European Union issued a statement on Wednesday calling on Pakistan to stop what they called all “terrorist activity” in a bid to ease tensions with India.

Powell is in Brunei attending Asia’s biggest security meeting, the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Regional Forum, which groups 22 Asian nations and the European Union.

India’s new Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha was also attending the forum hosted by Asean.

Pakistan is not a member of the forum.

Powell held a brief discussion with Sinha, and told him he had asked President Pervez Musharraf to stop infiltration by militants into Kashmir.

Foreign ministers at the gathering noted tensions between the two countries had eased since May after intense international pressure.

“The ministers further called for an immediate end to all terrorist activities in the region as an essential step to de-escalate the situation,” said a statement delivered by Brunei’s Foreign Minister Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, who presided over the forum.

“While welcoming its commitment to counter terrorism, ministers earnestly looked to Pakistan to take urgent further steps to implement it.”

“This would constitute an important step towards resumption of dialogue,” the statement said.

Pakistan was not invited to the forum, although it has asked to join. The statement said its application would be reviewed.

Pakistan has said incursions have stopped and Kashmiri militants said on Monday they had shut training camps in Pakistan’s Kashmir on the orders of Musharraf.—Reuters