Washington, June 15: US President George W Bush on Friday telephoned British Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss efforts to ease tensions between India and Pakistan and help both countries work toward lowering the military threat along their frontier in the Kashmir region. Bush telephoned Blair en route to Houston aboard Air Force One, White House spokesman Scott Mcclellan said.
He also called Hamid Karzai to express confidence in the Afghan leader who won 18 more months in office this week.

Bush told the Afghan leader he was gratified by the election results in the Afghan Loya Jirga (grand council). The US, pleased with Karzai's job as interim leader, had quietly supported his candidacy. Bureau Report