ULFA talk on June 22, prisoner likely to be released

Guwahati, Jun 08 (UNI) The much awaited next round of talks between the Government of India and the ULFA-appointed People's Consultative Group (PCG) will be held on June 22 and most likely the top five ULFA detunes would be released.

The peace initiator Dr Mamoni Roysom Goswami and Mr Rebati Phukan today met the National Security Adviser M.K.Narynanan in New Delhi where he had given the team the assurance of release.

Ms Goswami talking to newsmen over phone from New Delhi said she was hopeful of a good beginning in the next round of talk.

She also called on Mr V.K.Duggal, Union Home Secretary, who formally handed over the invitation. According to Dr Goswami, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will chair the next meeting between the Union Government and the PCG. She informed that from now onwards the Union Home Ministry will be handling the ULFA talk, not the Prime Minister's office. The PCG this time wanted the talks to be held under the aegis of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Ms Goswami once again raised the matter of release of children of some of the ULFA detunes, who were captured during the "Operation All Clear" on the Bhutan border.

In the last round, it was agreed that the Home Ministry would take over the peace process from the office of the NSA. The delegation also proposes to request Narayanan to be present at the next meeting of the PCG, besides asking him to expedite the peace process.

The announcement of the date had made the PCG happy but they were bit reserved about the non presence of key PMO officials in the proposed talk.

The People's Consultative Group (PCG) had demanded more confidence building measures before the start of the direct talk with the ULFA and Government.

EDS:- Please pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI MT SJC AB 1931