Abide by 8217;91 airspace pact, US urges India, Pak

We are deeply concerned that India and Pakistan are firing at each other8217;s aircraft along the international boundary,8217; he said responding to a question whether the firing of a missile by Pakistani troops at an Indian helicopter was in reply to India8217;s shooting down of its naval aircraft over Gujarat.

Pakistan had fired a surface-to-air missile yesterday at a helicopter carrying journalists to Kori creek where wreckage of the downed Pakistani aircraft had fallen on Tuesday.

We do understand that there was an incident near the site of the wreckage in which a Pakistani missile was fired at an Indian aircraft,8217; Rubin said.

Let me point out that the two countries did sign an agreement in April 1991 to avoid such incidents 8230; In the event that if violation occurs it has to be promptly investigated to the headquarters of the other airforce 8211; informed without delay through diplomatic channels,8217; he said.

In emergency situations, the designated authorities are to contact each other8217;s military and use the telephone line established between the army headquarters,8217; Rubin said.

We urgently call on both sides to re-institute this agreement in order to avoid further loss of life and further escalation and heightening of tensions.8217;

Hopefully, both sides will see that neither has anything to gain by an escalation of this conflict 8230;. We have been urging both sides to exercise restraint 8230; and develop a dialogue under the Lahore process which we believe can yield progress on the Kashmir issue,8217; he said.

National security council spokesman at the White House David Leavy at a separate briefing also appealed the two countries to adhere to the 1991 agreement. We would urge both sides to follow the procedures that are in place to try to lower tensions,8217; he said.

Stating that he was unaware of any plan by the Clinton administration to send special envoys to India and Pakistan, Rubin said assistant secretary of state Karl Inderfurth has briefed secretary of state Madeleine Albright extensively on this incident.

I know that our ambassadors at the ambassadorial level, which is a serious way of doing business, have been working with the respective capitals. I am not aware of any plan to send a special envoy of any kind,8217; he said.

Pentagon had reportedly suggested that US emissaries could be sent to India and Pakistan if it led to defusing tension.