Asom delegation submits memorandum favouring talks to President

New Delhi, Nov 27 (UNI) A 12-party delegation from Asom, led by former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta met President A P J Abdul Kalam and submitted to him a memorandum seeking the government immediately resume direct peace talks with the United Liberation Front of Asom to bring about permanent peace in the region.

Mr Mahanta told mediapersons here today that the delegation, comprising 17 people from 12 different parties of the state, appealed to the Union Government as well as to the ULFA leaders to resume the peace talks without any pre-conditions.

''We have already met Home Minister Shivraj Patil with the same plea,'' he said.

The former Chief Minister said the delegation has pointed out to the Government that by asking a letter from the ULFA leaders for the resumption of peace talks is a pre-conditions and it should be waived off.

''At the same time we also request the ULFA not to add any pre-conditons for starting the peace talks,'' he said, noting that any further delay in the peace process would only affect the poor and innocent people of the region.

The memorandum, submitted to Dr Kalam on Friday, pointed out that keeping in view of the larger political issues raised by various groups need to be resolved in context of special significance of the region. The insurgency and separatists movement was gaining ground due to delay in resolving the political and economic issues and insurgent groups like ULFA, NDFB, UPDS, DHD and KNV were active in the State. ''The resulting social conditions affect everybody. We are happy that the problems of some ethnic groups are in process of solution at the initiative of Central Government. But major militant outfits are outside of this process. It is for the greater interest of the country and the people a speedy solution is the need of the hour,'' Mr Mahanta added.

He said the memorandum has also urged the Government to immediately put an end to the sesmic survey of the the river Bhramhaputra carried out by the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) as it would adversely affect the ecology of the region.

Mr Mahanta said the delegation expects to get time from the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for explaining their position on the entire issue of ULFA.

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