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Truce agenda for first date - Delhi invites Ulfa talks team - http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051022/asp/northeast/story_5384138.asp |
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OUR CORRESPONDENT |
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New Delhi, Oct. 21: Delhi today issued a formal letter to confirm its date with the Ulfa-constituted Peoples Consultative Group on Wednesday, a tentative beginning that both sides hope will lead to a ceasefire. A month after it was decided to invite the nine-member consultative group to the capital, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) sent the letter to writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami, who is facilitating the peace process along with Rebati Phukan, a childhood friend of Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua. Brojen Gogoi, a member of the consultative group and an employee of Tata Tea Ltd in Calcutta, had asked for a formal letter from Delhi, saying he required one to secure leave from his office to participate in the negotiations. Gogoi, a doctor, was once in the dock for his alleged links with Ulfa. The first meeting between the consultative group and a Delhi team will commence at 4 pm on the appointed date and be attended by national security adviser M.K. Narayanan and other senior bureaucrats. It has not been decided whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet the delegation. Goswami said after receiving the PMOs letter that the peace process was now on the right track. "Narayanan says he is looking forward to a fruitful discussion." Inputs from the consultative group about the views of the people and the Ulfa leadership are expected to determine the governments policy for the proposed dialogue with the militant outfit. The consultative group is scheduled to arrive in the capital on Monday. Goswami said members of the team would be accommodated at a place to be decided by the government and not Assam Bhavan, as had been suggested. Mukul Mahanta, the seniormost member of the group and an engineer by profession, is likely to lead the team. In contrast to Delhis renewed enthusiasm about talks with Ulfa, army chief Gen. Joginder Jaswant Singh said counter-insurgency operations against the outfit would be relentless and continue till the top leadership "surrenders with arms". "We have to treat Ulfa like any other terrorist organisation. Their leadership must come to the government of India and surrender with their arms and only then negotiate for peace," the army chief said at a news conference after a commanders conclave. |
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