Blair in India for 'calming' talks

Blair speaks to some Bangalore village women about a development project

BANGALORE, India -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair has arrived on the next stage of his three-nation South Asia tour during which he hopes to instill a "calming influence."

Blair flew into Bangalore from Bangladesh on Friday as part of a six-day tour during which he hopes to reduce the current tension between India and Pakistan.

Before leaving Bangladesh he warned that the simmering conflict between the two nuclear neighbours could destabilise the whole region and the wider world.

India and Pakistan have each mobilised their troops and stand ready on the brink of war. The two countries have a 50-year history of hostility over the fate of Kashmir.

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The latest tension was sparked by an attack on the Indian parliament last month, which left 13 people dead.

New Delhi says was carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, two militant Islamic groups which India says receive Pakistani support.

Blair, who has been in touch with the U.S. President George W. Bush during the visit, is trying to ease the tension between the two nations.

The prime minister said he hoped to exercise a "calming influence" over the two countries.

Political talks between Blair and the Indian leaders in New Delhi are scheduled for Sunday.

India demands that Pakistan close down Jaish-e-Mohammed and the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, freeze their funds and arrest their leaders.

Pakistan has detained the leaders of the two groups, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Azhar Masood, but experts believe it will be difficult for India to prove the men were behind the attack.

Blair will also be hoping to boost economic links while he is in Bangalore, a centre of information technology.

Blair is to visit Pakistan on the final leg of the tour on Monday. The tour had been planned before the parliament attack.

President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan and Indian PM Atal Behari Vajpayee are both in Kathmandu, Nepal, for the South Asian summit but it is not known what talks -- if any -- will take place between the pair.