China urges India, Pakistan to cool down situation

Urging India and Pakistan once again to exercise restraint, China on Friday maintained that New Delhi and Islamabad can "properly settle disputes through dialogue and consultation to cool down the situation", an official here said.

"We call on the two sides to exercise restraint and avoid further escalating tensions," a foreign office statement said, adding that it hopes that the two sides can properly settle disputes through dialogue.

Voicing its concern, the Chinese foreign ministry said that as a neighbour and friend to both India and Pakistan, "we are concerned about the tension and rivalry between them. Beijing has been in touch with both sides, and we will continue our efforts to promote peace talks".

Tensions between India and Pakistan have become strained after New Delhi on Thursday announced that it had launched surgical strikes at terror launch pads across the Line of Control.

Islamabad, however, denied that any Indian strike had taken place on its soil.

The Indian strikes followed the September 18 terrorist attack at an army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir in which 19 soldiers were killed.

--IANS

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