The Centre has convened a high- level meeting next month to chalk out its strategy on possible talks with ULFA.
The meeting, to be chaired by Home Minister P Chidambaram and will be participated by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and top officials, will work out modalities for future talks with ULFA, Home Ministry officials said.
The move assumes significance in view of the fact that the entire top leadership of ULFA, barring its wing military wing chief Paresh Baruah, are currently in jails.
The Centre has already made it clear that it was ready to hold talks with the ULFA if the outfit shuns violence and give up its demand for sovereignty of Assam.
ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, who was arrested along with some other leaders along Indo-Bangladesh border in December 2009 had, however, said there can be no talks with “handcuffs on“.
“We have to be free. We want peace but not in this way“,” he had said when he was produced in a Guwahati court in handcuffs.
Paresh Baruah, who is believed to be in Myanmar, had said “we are ready for a dialogue provided sovereignty for Assam is discussed”.
