Setting the ball rolling for formal peace talks, a Suspension of Operations Agreement, is likely to be signed between the outlawed Ulfa and the Centre by June end.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who met home minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday, said that informal discussions with Ulfa, led by its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, have been going on “positively” and formal peace talks between the government and Ulfa will begin by the end of June.
Government sources said that a seperate interlocutor may be appointed for the talks after the agreement is signed. On the response of the elusive “commander-in-chief” of Ulfa Paresh Baruah, Mr Gogoi said the government would welcome Baruah if he joins the peace talks. “But we would not wait for him for indefinite period,” he said.
Mr Gogoi, who was elected as chief minister for the third consecutive term, said his meeting with Mr Chidambaram was very fruitful and the home minister assured him all support in the efforts to bring peace in Assam.
An eight member delegation of Ulfa leaders, led by Rajkhowa, in February had met PM Manmohan Singh, Mr Chidambaram and home secretary G.K. Pillai and began the process of dialogue, after three decades of insurgency.