New Delhi: The United States could contribute to preventing escalation of tensions in the South Asian region by pressing on Pakistan to stop sponsoring and supporting cross-border terrorism against India, government said in Lok Sabha on April 23.

Minister of state for External Affairs Digvijay Singh said in a written reply that this could be done in accordance with commitments made by Pakistan in June 2002 and in the context of the global war against terrorism.

The international community, including the US, was aware of New Delhi's consistent position that all issues between India and Pakistan can be resolved only through direct bilateral dialogue, he said.

The Minister pointed out that US Secretary of State Colin Powell had in an interview to an American newspaper recently referred to "India, Pakistan and the whole sub-continent problem" and said that Washington would like to "make sure we don't find ourselves in the same situation we were in a year ago".

PTI