Citizens' meet call for resumption of peace talks in Asom

Guwahati, Feb 24 (UNI) A citizens' meet here today appealed to the government and the ULFA to sit for unconditional talks.

The meeting was organised by a 12-party coalition of Opposition parties in the state to discuss measures to break the stalemate in the ULFA-government peace process. It was attended by prominent citizens, including literati, social activists and educationists.

The meeting urged the government and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to come forward for unconditional talks and appealed for its early resumption. It expressed concern over the failure of the talks through the ULFA-nominated People's Consultative Group (PCG) last year, after it had kindled hopes of resolution of the three-decade-old vexed insurgency problem in the state.

Former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta presided over the meeting. The 12-party coalition includes Mr Mahanta's Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive) (AGP-P) and the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF), which has 10 members in the Assembly.

However, main Opposition party AGP is not a part of this joint forum.

UNI