In a new spin to the role of the international community in the festering dispute, US Assistant Secretary of State Karl Inderfurth spoke about the destruction of infrastructure in Kashmir during years of rebellion. ``There can be a role for the international community to assist the rehabilitation, reconstruction of Kashmir to allow it to return to functioning its economy, tourism,'' he said during a lecture at the South Asia Institute of the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies here.

Inderfurth said ``there are a lot of things the international community can do if the parties themselves can move towards a long-term solution.'' ``But a long-term solution will require an important dose of realism, about what's attainable and an important dose ofcreativity to determine what are the ways that the various needs of all parties can be met,'' he added.

By referring to `creativity,' the US official appeared to be alluding to some recent think tank proposals for the resolution of the dispute, including providing greater autonomy and creating a special administrative zone in the Kashmir Valley.

Referring specifically to Prime Minister Vajpayee's recent interview with The Indian Express, Inderfurth said the US was hopeful the India-Pakistan dialogue could be resurrected, particularly since the Prime Minister had acknowledged that this was ``very much on his agenda as soon as the election results are known and when he had formed a new government.''