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US Secretary of State Colin Powell is to visit India, Pakistan, Japan and possibly other countries next week, the State Department said on Wednesday.
Washington has been concerned over the growing tension between New Delhi and Islamabad ever since Pakistan-based terrorists attacked the Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001.
"Secretary Powell will meet with leaders of both India and Pakistan to urge a reduction of tensions and to further improve our international cooperation in the fight against terrorism," Boucher told a news briefing.
He said Powell would leave on January 15 and return on January 21, following a visit to Japan to attend an Afghan reconstruction conference.
Reports had suggested that the US was going to appoint a 'special envoy' to India and Pakistan to help reduce tensions between the two neighbours. But India had strongly opposed the proposal.
The secretary of state will fly to South Asia before heading to Tokyo on January 21 to attend the conference where funds for the reconstruction of Afghanistan are to be pledged.
Agencies
Powell may visit India, Pakistan
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