US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca plan to visit India and Pakistan next month, according to Pakistani officials.

During their visit to Islamabad, they will discuss with government officials 'bilateral and regional issues' with particular focus on the Indo-Pak standoff, Iraq and Afghanistan, the Dawn daily quoted an official as saying.

The two officials will then travel to India on a 'peace mission'.

"Whenever Pakistan-India tension level rises, Armitage gets deeply involved," remarked one official, pointing out that he had visited the subcontinent twice last year when the two countries were on the brink of war.

The crisis was finally averted after Armitage held talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.