US favours steps to defuse India-Pak tension

"I think we have already been doing that. Me and my counterpart in Pakistan have reached out to the respective host governments to express our concern," US Ambassador to India Nancy J Powell told a local television channel here.

Officials in Washington are also monitoring the situation and working out on how to defuse the tension and ensure that progress is made without any deterioration in the situation, she said.

South Asia remains an area of concern, Powell said and emphasised the need for increased people-to-people contact, trade and economic relations between India and Pakistan.

On the menace of international terrorism, the US diplomat said both India and the US are victims and both countries are 'very very active and exchanging information and ideas to prevent any terror attacks'.

Apart from sharing ideas and information, the two countries have also been training each other's personnel on how to face the situation.

Describing India as a 'very very important partner' of the US, Powell said India remains America's 'partner of the 21st century.'