WASHINGTON?Secretary of State Colin Powell headed to Asia Sunday on a diplomatic mission intended to keep tensions between Pakistan and India from further complicating the U.S. anti terror campaign in neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistan has been supporting Islamic militants who seek an end to Indian rule in the predominantly Muslim region of Kashmir. A terrorist attack last week in the Indian sector of Kashmir killed about 40 people.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said last week that Powell would try to see if there were a way ?to lower the temperature? between the two countries.

Pakistan?s president, Pervez Musharraf, has cooperated with U.S. efforts to track down Osama bin Laden and go after his Taliban government hosts in Afghanistan.

Musharraf has allowed American military aircraft to land in Pakistan and has granted the United States use of at least two air bases despite widespread protests in Pakistan.