Islamabad, Dec 7 (IANS): With tension along the Indian border abating, "all talks of war" should be avoided, said a Pakistani daily Saturday.

The News International in an editorial "War Talk" said that "at a time when tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) are abating somewhat all talk of war, no matter how theoretical, should be avoided. The art of diplomacy requires statesmen to say what is helpful to the cause of peace rather than just spout inflammatory truths".

Prime Ministers of both the countries were engaged in a war of words when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was quoted by a Pakistani daily as saying Wednesday that Kashmir "can trigger a fourth war" with India. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a sharp riposte, said there was no scope of Pakistan winning a war with India in his lifetime.

Sharif's office later issued a statement, strongly denying that he made the remark.

The daily said as long as both the countries lay claim to Kashmir and are unable to reach an agreement there is a chance of war breaking out.

"...India has a massive troop advantage on Pakistan and has got the better of us in previous wars. Since neither country wants a mutually destructive nuclear war, India might retain the edge in conventional military terms," the editorial said.