A senior United Nations official says greater cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan is key to stabilizing the region.

Kai Eide (file photo)

TheU.N. envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, says the Afghan and Pakistanigovernments should enter into a political dialogue to counter thegrowing insurgency in their border region.

Eide made thecomments Thursday on a visit to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, in a bidto ease tensions between the neighboring countries. The U.N. officialsays he has received positive signals from both governments.

Eide said building Afghan institutions and improving the economy are also top priorities for stabilizing Afghanistan.

Thursday'scomments come after U.S. President George Bush acknowledged June was a"tough month" for American and allied troops in Afghanistan.

Afghanofficials said Thursday at least 25 militants were killed in a clashwith NATO forces Wednesday, after they attacked troops in thenorthwestern Badghis province.

And Afghan police say five Afghan soldiers were killed Wednesday, when their vehicle hit a roadside bomb in Logar province.

Separately,officials with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) say childrenare suffering greatly from war and the deteriorating security situationin Afghanistan.  

U.N. Special Representative for Children andArmed Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy told reporters Thursday in Kabulmore Afghan children are being wounded and killed in violence. Othersare being recruited to fight, including serving as suicide bombers.  

Coomaraswamyalso expressed concerns about attacks on schools. She says last year228 schools were attacked in Afghanistan, resulting in 75 deaths. 

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, and Reuters.