(AFP) The government today pressed nuclear-capable rivals India and Pakistan to seek a solution to their escalating tensions at the negotiating table and avoid at any cost a war.

"Pakistan and India must avoid conflict at all cost as any military conflict will have major consequences," Defence minister Najib Razak was quoted by the official Bernama news agency as saying.

"Any conflict poses the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons," and this could lead to catastrophic damage in the region, he said.

Malaysia was using all political and diplomatic channels to prevent the conflict between the two countries from turning into a full-scale war, he added.

The two nuclear rivals have been locked in an increasingly bitter diplomatic war since a deadly attack on New Delhi's parliament in December which India blames on Pakistan based militant groups.

"Cross-border terrorism"

New Delhi also blames Islamabad and its Inter Service Intelligence agency for aiding and abetting "cross-border terrorism" in the divided Muslim-majority Kashmir.

Pakistan denies this charge but says it gives "moral and political" support to what it terms the Kashmiri's "freedom struggle".

Both sides have massed troops along their common borders causing a tense military stand-off.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last month urged both countries to resolve their differences by dialogue, not military action.

"As two neighbouring countries, they should sit down and talk," the premier said.

"I don't like the use of military action to solve any problem, and both neighbouring countries should go to the negotiating table and discuss this issue."