The infiltrators depend on the Pakistan army for transport, food and ammunition, and they can order or "advice" the intruders to come back, US Officials said on condition of anonymity. The talks held between US President Bill Clinton and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last Sunday was Kargil-specific and "anything else has to wait the (Indo-Pak) dialogue," the officials said.

The US also said that it had no indication so far of any fundamental change in the ground situation in the Kargil sector since Sharif committed to take "concrete steps" to restore the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC).

"Our information, in terms of what is happening on the ground, is that fighting continues along the LoC in the Kargil sector. Indian leaders have declared that the military operations willcontinue until all the forces infiltrated from Pakistan are removed or withdrawn," state department spokesman James Foley told reporters on Wednesday.

Foley said Washington supported the statement of Sharif after his meeting with British premier Tony Blair that "concrete steps" be taken rapidly to restore the LoC and the Lahore process be revived. Asked about the rejection of the Clinton-Sharif deal by militant outfits in Pakistan, Foley said, "We believe that the Sharif is committed to an early resolution of this crisis, and that means restoration of the LoC and return to the Lahore process, which was a very hopeful development that occurred earlier this year, in which India and Pakistan agreed to discuss the whole range of issues between them, including Kashmir. That is the way, in our view, to go forward and to get beyond this crisis with its dangers of escalation."

"Let us remember that what we support here is not anything that is against the interest of Pakistan, or against the interest of India. Webelieve it is fundamentally against the interest of both parties for this crisis to continue with its attendant risk of escalation," he said.