Peace talk process with Ulfa begins: Tarun Gogoi

The peace talks process with top Ulfa leaders has started, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said today, but ruled out that the state's sovereignty would be on the agenda.

"The process for talks has started but no breakthrough has been achieved. However, the government is optimistic," Gogoi told reportes here.

The issue of 'sovereignity of Assam', however, would never be on the agenda for talks, he said.

Meanwhile, Ulfa 'chairman', Arbainda Rajkhowa held a long meeting with the banned outfit's 'deputy commander-in-chief', Raju Baruah, 'vice-president', Pradip Gogoi, 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury, 'finance secretary', Chitraban Hazarika and 'publicity secretary', Mithinga Daimary in Guwahati Central Jail.

Jail sources said the meeting, which began late Friday evening, continued till the following morning.

Ulfa-constituted Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) member Lachit Bordoloi said, "It is good that the Ulfa top leaders are holding discussions among themselves. But an open environment away from jail will benefit them."

Rajkhowa, who was held by the Border Security Force (BSF) near the Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura on December 2, has been accorded special status as a political prisoner as per government instructions, jail sources said.

Special food and other facilities are being provided to the Ulfa 'chairman', the sources added.