No ceasefire unless ULFA sits for direct talks: GOC-in-C

Kolkata, July 17 (UNI) The army will not suspend operation against United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) unless the outfit agreed for direct negotiations with the Government, GOC-in-C Eastern Command Lt Gen Arvind Sarma today said.

'' A ceasefire with ULFA is not ruled out. But the outfit has to enter into direct talks with the Government,'' he told reporters at a proramme on the occasion of Forestry Day.

His statement came in the wake of ULFA's rejection of an offer by the Centre to sit for direct talks unless it stopped military offensive against the underground organisation.

To a question on ULFA's denial of involvement in a recent violence, the General said it had been a practice for the outfit to ''disown any suct act''.

Referring to the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai and Srinagar, Lt Gen Sarma stressed on creating public awareness against such acts. He said the task of checking cross-border infiltration was the responsibility of the Border Security Force (BSF), while the army had been sharing its intelligence reports with the state governments and various security agencies.

UNI KDG SJC MIR HT2116