Centre, ULFA harden stand before talks

Guwahati, July 11 (UNI) The Centre and ULFA have hardened their stand even as Asom braces for the first direct talks between the two in 25 years.

Barely 24 hours after the Centre asked ULFA to stop extortions, the outfit today hit out through the Peoples' Initiative for Peace in Asom, lining up hundreds of supporters before the state Assembly demanding release of their jailed leaders by July 30 to start the talks.

The Peoples' Initiative for Peace in Asom is an organisation sympathetic to the cause of the ULFA.

Yesterday, in a warning to ULFA cadres ahead of the proposed peace talks, the Centre said the militant outfit's actions, like the extortion notice to an RBI Director, vitiated the process and asked it to ensure ''a peaceful and conducive'' environment to facilitate release of five detainees.

After a marathon review meeting with Asom Chief Secretary S Kabilan and Director General of Police D N Dutta in the wake of the Rs 15 lakh ransom demanded by ULFA from the RBI Director, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal told reporters at New Delhi the outfit should desist from ''pinpricks'' and should give an assurance that a peaceful atmosphere would be created.

''The Government is committed to pursue the process of talks to ensure lasting peace in Asom. It had been agreed that a peaceful atmosphere will be created in the state, which will be conducive to hold direct talks between ULFA and the Government. Issuance of extortion notices will vitiate the ongoing peace process,'' he said in a statement.

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