WASHINGTON, Jan 17: US President George W. Bush spoke by telephone to British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday to discuss the war on terrorism and tensions between India and Pakistan.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Bush made a point of praising an anti-terrorism speech made last Saturday by President Pervez Musharraf that has helped reduce tensions between the two nuclear rivals.

Fleischer said they also discussed Blair’s visit to the region last week and Secretary of State Colin Powell’s current meetings in India and Pakistan.—Reuters