Thursday, April 6 2006 12:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: The United States has said that the issue of Kashmir has been left to India and Pakistan to find a solution that would open the doors for 'greater prosperity' and 'greater peace' in the region.

Addressing the House International Relations Committee yesterday, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US had encouraged the two countries to 'come to a resolution of the Kashmir crisis.'

"It's a flashpoint. It's a place that has sparked conflict in the region. And were there a resolution of it, it would open up the region to greater prosperity as well as greater peace," Rice told the Committee during a hearing on the Indo-US civilian nuclear energy agreement.

"We're encouraged by what they've been doing in terms of bus links and the ability of people to move. We're encouraged by the discussions that they're having," she said in response to an observation by Congressman Dan Burton.

According to Rice, the US had not taken on the role of mediator over the Kashmir issue since it believed that India and Pakistan are best suited to try and find a solution.

"But I can assure you that we do actively encourage the parties to find a resolution. In fact, the president (George W Bush) had publicly said this when he was both in India and in Pakistan," she added.