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WASHINGTON, Dec 17 (AFP) - The United States urged India and Pakistan to tone down their rhetoric Monday, after last week's attack on the Indian parliament boosted tension between the nuclear rivals US officials fear "could spiral out of control."

Secretary of State Colin Powell said the two south Asian nuclear rivals needed to weigh carefully any steps they take to deal with the December 13 suicide assault, which India blames on Pakistan-based Islamic militants.

"We are concerned," Powell said. "We would not wish to see this escalate to a direct exchange between the two nations going after each other, as opposed to going after a common enemy, which is terrorist organizations that conduct these kinds of horrible, horrible attacks."

He urged India to share information about its investigation into the attack with Pakistan so that both countries could be on the same side.

And, while he noted that both were "acting responsibly" thus far, Powell said he hoped the situation would not turn "critical."

"I hope the degree of calmness that we have seen and degree of patience that we have seen sustains for quite a bit longer so that the situation doesn't become critical," Powell said on PBS television's "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer"

Earlier, spokesmen for the White House and State Department urged the two countries to proceed carefully, telling India to back off on accusations of who was responsible for the attack until an investigation is complete and advising Pakistan it needed to move against extremists.

"India has a legitimate right to self-defense," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said, noting President George W. Bush's concerns about actions taken by either side that could prove precipitous.

"At the same time, the president counsels that this is a very difficult situation in the region, and one that could spiral out of control," he said.

Bush "urges that both sides share information, work with each other and take no action that would in any way hinder the war against terrorism, to which both India and Pakistan have committed themselves."

At the State Department, spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington was in close touch with both capitals, advising restraint.

Boucher made clear that Indian threats and predictions of a response against Pakistan before New Delhi's investigation into the attack was complete were not helpful.

"I realize there have been some comments by the Indian authorities about these attacks, but formally we understand they are continuing their investigation into these brutal attacks," Boucher said.

"We're looking to India to finish its investigation," he told reporters at least twice, adding that only then would it be right for Indian officials to "consider what action might be appropriate."

At the same time, Boucher said Pakistan must take steps to control extremist violence emanating from within its territory.

"They need to address terrorist activities within their borders, especially the activities of militant groups," he said.

"Pakistan needs to be concerned about the activities of militant groups within its border and needs to take appropriate action on its part."

New Delhi and Islamabad have waged a war of words since 13 people, including the five gunmen, were killed in the parliament attack.

The attack shocked India and sparked calls for immediate retaliation.

Earlier Monday, India said it was mulling "all options" including a military response to the strike it claims was backed by Pakistani military intelligence and executed by two Pakistan-based Islamic guerrilla groups -- Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Pakistan has condemned the attack, denied its secret services were involved and warned India against any reprisal.

Islamabad has also offered to conduct a joint investigation with India if New Delhi is willing to share the evidence it has accumulated so far -- an offer Indian officials received skeptically.

Boucher said the State Department's counter-terrorism coordinator Francis Taylor would soon travel to India for discussions on improving cooperation in that area between Washington and New Delhi.

No time frame was established for Taylor's trip or whether he would also travel to Pakistan.

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