Environment 'inappropriate' for tour, says India

India on Wednesday asserted that Pakistan's hostile propaganda and its constant calls for 'jehad' against it had created an environment making an Indian cricket team's tour of that country "inappropriate".

"India remains committed to the promotion of people to people and cultural contacts with Pakistan," a foreign office statement said.

"It (India) calls upon Pakistan to create a conducive climate, which would enable India to have the confidence that the security and welfare of its team would be ensured and that a tour would serve positive purposes," the statement added.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf described as "unsporting" the Indian government's decision not to allow its cricket team to tour Pakistan, accusing it of mixing politics with sport.

"It's regretable because by this decision they have mingled politics and sports, which is unsporting," Musharraf said.

Mail Cricket Editor