Army to withdraw if ULFA comes for talk

Tejpur, Oct 18 (UNI) The army will stop operations against outlawed ULFA in Assam if the latter came to the negotiating table without any preconditions, Chief of Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor said here today.

The General announced this at his first ever media conference after assuming the post of the Army Chief.

"If the ULFA comes for talks without any terms and conditions then the army is willing to go back to the barracks", General Kapoor told reproters at the army's four corps headquarters here.

He, however, said Pakistan's ISI was active in the whole region, using the militant organisations to destablise the region.

"Under the direction of Muslim fundamentalists, the ISI is becoming active in Assam which is a cause for major concern. We will continue to operate aginst these elements'', said General Kapoor.

Urging ULFA to come to the negotiating table he said, ''if the Bodoland Liberation Tigers and the National Liberation Front of Bodoland (NDFB) could come to the negotiating table then why not the ULFA''.

The army chief is scheduled to visit the frontline areas at Bumla sector of Arunachal Pradesh tomorrow.

On the ongoing problem with China along the border with Arunachal Pradesh, General Kapoor said two rounds of talks between the Indian and Chinese forces were held so far. "The talks have been cordial and we expect to solve the border problem very soon'', he said.

UNI