Formal talks with Ulfa by month-end , Says Gogoi

NEW DELHI: Formal peace talks between the government and Ulfa could begin as early as this month-end , Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here on Thursday. The parleys are likely to be preceded by an announcement of suspension of operations between the security forces and Ulfa in Assam. Gogoi, who called on Union Home Minister P Chidambaram here, said informal discussions with Ulfa , led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, were going on “positively” and both sides would shortly announce suspension of operations in Assam.

“After the announcement, the formal talks with Ulfa will begin. We hope that the talks will begin this month-end itself,” he told reporters . Home Ministry sources too confirmed that an agreement of suspension of operations between the government and Ulfa was expected to be inked later this month. Incidentally, Ulfa’s commanderin-chief , Paresh Baruah, will remain out of the peace process even as all the other central committee members are on board. Gogoi, however , said the government would welcome Baruah in case he agreed to join the talks. “But we would not wait for him for an indefinite period,” he said.

Gogoi, who was elected as chief minister for the third consecutive term in May, said his meeting with Chidambaram on Thursday was very fruitful and the home minister had assured him of all support in the efforts to bring peace in Assam. An eight-member delegation of Ulfa leaders, led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and home secretary GK Pillai here in February for an introductory session ahead of the launch of formal talks. With the assembly poll now completed in Assam and the Gogoi government back in power, the decks are finally clear for the chief minister to launch peace parleys in the right earnest.