Danger of war with India not over yet - Musharraf

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said today that the danger of a war with India is not yet over, despite indications from New Delhi that tensions have eased somewhat.

‘‘As long as the forces remain deployed and as long as there is a capability ... of their forces on the borders to ... take action at a short notice, the danger is not over,’’ Musharraf said before leaving on a three-day trip to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Although India has not yet publicly committed to any peace gestures, it agreed over the weekend that Pakistan was moving ‘‘in the right direction’’ after hearing from US envoy Richard Armitage that Pakistan will stop cross-border incursions - India’s key demand.

Armitage visited Islamabad before heading to New Delhi last week as part of a US mission to defuse tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Musharraf expressed hope that lowered tensions could lead to dialogue on the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. The two nations have fought two of their three wars over the region.

‘‘I am not very clear what their exact response is, we need to see,’’ he said. ‘‘The response we expect is the initiation of a dialogue process on Kashmir ... that is the response we expect.’’

The two countries, on a war footing since December, have about one million troops lined up along the Line of Control in Kashmir.

After his trip to India, Deputy Secretary of State Armitage hinted that New Delhi was likely to take concrete steps to upgrade its relations with Pakistan.

Armitage said India is considering returning some of its diplomats to Islamabad, recalled under heightened tensions, and making ‘‘military gestures’’ to lessen tensions within a few days. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to visit the region this week.

The latest crisis over Kashmir flared up in December after an attack on the Indian parliament which killed 14 people, and which New Delhi blamed on Islamic militants backed by Pakistan.

India recalled its ambassador and half its diplomatic staff from Islamabad. Last month, New Delhi expelled Pakistan’s ambassador.

Musharraf is making the trip this week as part of a diplomatic offensive to convince the international community, especially ‘‘friends of Pakistan,’’ that he wants a reduction in tensions with India, officials said.

In the UAE, Musharraf is to meet Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan. He will also meet Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz.