British troops could be heading to Kashmir to patrol the disputed Kashmir region to head off a war between India and Pakistan.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said he is considering sending UK soldiers to police the line of control that divides territory controlled by India and Pakistan.

The nuclear rivals have been at loggerheads over the province with continued fighting across the Kashmiri border and Pakistan test-firing a missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

We would be willing to play a part subject to the right conditions

Geoff Hoon, defence secretary

Details of possible British deployment emerged as he attended a meeting of Nato defence ministers with American counterpart Donald Rumsfeld, convened after the pair held talks in London.

Mr Hoon told the Guardian: "We would be willing to play a part subject to the right conditions.

"We'd have to look at what was expected of them.

"We can't put people into a situation of great danger where they were not able to do the job effectively."

Reassurances needed

Mr Hoon is expected to put the proposal to the two governments on a peace mission to the region early next week.

India was "not yet wholly persuaded" by the idea of a British-American monitoring force, Mr Hoon told The Times.

However, he confirmed the suggestion had been put to both countries and indicated the Delhi government had not rejected it out of hand, it was reported.

Tension on the border, where one million troops are massed, would have to ease before such a force could go in, he told the paper.

Mr Hoon said: "There had been a general discussion on the need to find a practical way of giving both sides reassurance, particularly India, because there have been some infiltrations across the line of control and an international monitoring force could be suitable.

Kashmir talks

"We're willing to look at every option to give Pakistan and India a reason not to launch an attack at each other."

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "It is basically one option that is being considered, that is being talked about.

"There are absolutely no plans to go ahead with this at this stage."

Rumsfeld has held talks in London

On Friday, Pakistan's High Commissioner to London, Abdul Kader Jaffer, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that border patrols by US and UK troops were a "super idea".

"We are willing to accept all that the international community say, it shows our good intentions, it shows the intentions of our government and of our president to stop all this that India alleges," said Mr Jaffer.

On Wednesday, Mr Hoon and Prime Minister Tony Blair held talks about Kashmir with Mr Rumsfeld in London.

Last week, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told Britons they should leave the India and Pakistan for their own safety.

Mr Straw, who has said war is not inevitable, said efforts were being made to establish a series of steps which would enable both sides to "pull back from the brink".

He declined to be drawn on whether Tony Blair or George Bush would personally visit Pakistan and India as part of the peace drive.

But no options were being ruled out, he added.