Phnom Penh, Feb 28 (IANS) Cambodia on Thursday called on Pakistan and India to exercise "utmost restraint" and avoid further clashes.

"Cambodia follows with great concern the recent escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India in the Kashmir region," the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"As friends of both countries, Cambodia hopes Pakistan and India exercise utmost restraint to avoid further armed clashes, which would give rise to hostile sentiment among the peoples of the two countries," it said.

The statement, cited by Xinhua news agency, said Cambodia believed that Pakistan and India could work through negotiation to defuse the current tension and find appropriate solution to disputes through peaceful means.

--IANS soni/pcj