Good news for people of northeast in coming days: Chidambaram

Voicing confidence over talks with northeast militant groups, home minister P Chidambaram today said there would be "good news" for the people of the region in the days to come.

"I am confident that there will be good news in the days to come," he said at a press conference here when asked about militancy in the northeast.

Chidambaram said the government has made significant gains with regard to the ULFA militants and talks were at an "advanced stage" with two or three other groups in the region.

"All but two or three leaders are in custody and we have offered talks to them if they give up the demand of soverignty
and lay down arms. As far as the two or three ULFA leaders who are still not within our reach, I am confident that there will be good news in the days to come," he added.
    
Chidambaram said the Centre's interlocutor PC Haldar was in talks with militant groups in the northeast and the discussions were "progressing well".

"We are now in an advanced stage of talks with a number of militant groups. We have appointed an interlocutor PC Haldar. He is in talks with the militant groups that are in the North Cachar Hills, the Karbi Anglong area, the Bodoland council area and I think the talks are progressing very well," he said.
    
"With some luck we can have some settlement with these groups. I think these are good signs," the home minister said.