India takes 'minimal' Pakistan sanctions

Both sides are under heavy international pressure not to go down the path to war

NEW DELHI (CNN) -- The Indian government has taken what it describes as "minimal" diplomatic sanctions against Pakistan, while urging the Pakistani government to crack down on terrorism.

Following a cabinet meeting, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh announced three steps -- including cutting the size of the diplomatic delegation in New Delhi, restricting the remaining diplomats to the city, and ending over-fly rights for Pakistan's airline.

Singh told a news briefing: "We hope the government of Pakistan will understand and take moves to curb terror groups." He said India was prepared to take further measures if Pakistan did not act.

Singh said Indian officials believed the government of Pakistan had not understood the depth of concern in India over an attack on the Indian parliament earlier this month.

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The cabinet decided to cut in half the staffs of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi while reducing the staff of its commission office in Pakistan. There are about 110 staffers at the Pakistan mission.

In addition, those staffers who remain will be restricted to New Delhi, he said.

Finally, Singh said that over-fly rights of the Pakistan airline to use Indian air space had been suspended.

The cabinet committee on security was attended by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Singh, Home Affairs Minister L.K. Advani, and Defense Minister George Fernandes.

Singh's criticized Pakistan's efforts to shut down anti-Indian terrorist groups it believes are operating in Pakistan as efforts to "dupe" the international community.

The United States and the United Nations have put considerable pressure on the Indian government to contain the military tension, which reached a new high this week. New Delhi has refused any international mediation, saying the issue is bilateral.

U.S. officials said Thursday the growing tension between the two countries has affected the U.S. war on terrorism because Pakistan has begun to move small numbers of troops off the security detail along its border with Afghanistan.

Officials also said they are concerned that if the situation continues to escalate between the two nuclear powers, U.S. overflight rights in the region could be affected.

U.S. intelligence officials say India has moved its short-range Prithvi surface-to-surface missile closer to the border with Pakistan. Because of its short range (93 miles), Prithvi would not likely be a prime attack weapon, U.S. officials said.

They expressed greater concern about India's fighter-bomber force, which is capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

Pakistan mobilized its entire army Wednesday and placed it on high alert, saying it was responding to massive troop movements by India. It also canceled all leave for members of the military and called back recent retirees.

It is the largest mobilization of Pakistani forces in 30 years, said one military source -- even greater than during the war with India in 1971.

Tensions between the countries have increased since a December 13 attack on India's parliament that killed 14 people. Both sides have been moving more equipment and troops to the border, according to eyewitnesses.

Vajpayee has accused Pakistan of pushing the two countries to the brink of war.

Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell by phone Wednesday. Government officials said in that conversation, Musharraf expressed some concerns, described the situation along the border and explained what offers Pakistan had made to India.

Musharraf said Pakistan had offered a joint investigation into the parliament attack, but that India refused to take part.

Powell also spoke by phone with the Indian foreign minister Wednesday, and he has talked numerous times with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw over the holiday weekend, a U.S. State Department spokesman said.

Powell's message to India and Pakistan was that any conflict between them can have no good result for either side, and that they must resolve their differences through dialogue, the spokesman said.

A statement Wednesday from U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan urged the leaders of both sides to avoid actions and statements that could aggravate the situation. He told them the world community has "great interest in improved and stable relations" between India and Pakistan.

Last Friday, India recalled its envoy to Islamabad and announced plans to sever all rail and bus links to Pakistan beginning January 1. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947.

CNN Producer Suhasini Haidar and Islamabad Bureau Chief Ash-Har Quraishi contributed to this report.