New Delhi, Dec. 21 :    New Delhi, Dec. 21:  The government today said it would support any step that leads to 'real de-escalation and reduction' of tension in the subcontinent, but appeared sceptical of Pakistan's announcement of a partial troop pullback from the Line of Control. Delhi made it clear that it will not make an immediate reciprocal gesture as the security forces stationed in Jammu and Kashmir are battling armed militants, including a posse of foreign mercenaries, who are operating there. 'India has always stood for and will welcome any step that leads to real de-escalation and reduces tension,' foreign ministry spokesman R.S. Jassal said. Referring to the statement of the spokesman of Pakistan's Inter-Services-Intelligence press directorate that some soldiers had already been withdrawn, Jassal said: 'India's ministry of defence is assessing the ground situation and we can comment on this only after a complete evaluation of the Pakistani claim has been made.' Pakistan said the truce extension had a 'positive tone', but was not enough to resume dialogue. Agency reports from Islamabad quoted foreign office spokesman Riaz Mohammed Khan as saying the truce extension 'falls short of a clear response to Pakistan's initiatives that may justify optimism for an early start of a meaningful negotiating process on the Kashmir issue'. Key world powers today welcomed the Prime Minister's decision to extend the ceasefire by a month and Pakistan's announcement of partial withdrawal of troops and stressed that the Kashmir dispute should be settled through negotiations. President Bill Clinton felt encouraged by the steps taken by both nations and said the dispute should be settled through peaceful means. The Russian foreign ministry, in a statement from Moscow, also stressed that the two sides should settle their dispute in accordance with the Simla Agreement and in the spirit of the Lahore peace process. But the most significant reaction came from Tunisia, the first country in the Arab world which said it felt encouraged by Atal Behari Vajpayee's decision. Through a note verbal to the foreign ministry, Tunisia stressed that negotiations between India and Pakistan should be settled under the Simla Agreement and the Lahore pact. India's response to Pakistan's announcement is a clever one. By re-affirming its support to reducing and de-escalating tension in the region, Delhi wants to reassure the world that it is committed to peace. At the same time, the government also made it clear that it will not rush into anything purely on the basis of Islamabad's claim. Defence minister George Fernandes took a similar line and said Islamabad's claim has to be first 'verified' before a response could be given. 'We have to understand the meaning of these claims. How can troops be withdrawn overnight from high up in the mountainous terrain that marks the LoC?' he wondered. Fernandes cast doubt on Pakistan's announcement that some of its troops had already been withdrawn, saying it was difficult to pull back from such terrain at short notice.