GUWAHATI, Feb 9 � The Central Government has started the process of preparing the ground for initiating talks with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), said the Union Home Secretary GK Pillai.
Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the 58th meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) at the Assam Administrative Staff College today, the Union Home Secretary said that the Union Home Minister and the Assam Chief Minister would take the final decision on whether talks with the ULFA can be held without the commander in chief of the outfit, Paresh Baruah. The Home Minister and the Chief Minister would also decide whether talks can start without receiving a formal letter from the ULFA, he added.
Pillai said that the Ministry of Home Affairs recently reviewed the situation in an exhaustive meeting at the bureaucratic level. He said that the response of the Government of Myanmar to India�s concern was very positive and �we are hopeful of Myanmar extending cooperation to India for flushing out the militants using the territory of the neighbouring country.�
Replying to a question on the possibility of Bangladesh handing over ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia, Pillai said that India and Bangladesh have already signed a treaty on handing over of wanted persons and hoped that the ULFA leader would be handed over soon. He said that Bangladesh is also not opposed to taking back Bangladeshi nationals apprehended in India and in recent times, a few hundred Bangladeshi nationals were taken back.
On sealing of the border with Bangladesh, Pillai said that mere crossing over of civilians is not a matter of serious concern. But at the same time, he said that crossing over of terror modules from Bangladesh by taking advantage of the porous border is a matter of serious concern and in last one year around 40 such persons have been arrested in India and fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 30 crore were seized from them. He also revealed that the Government would soon take a policy decision on steps to be taken to prevent cattle smuggling to Bangladesh.
On the situation in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area, Pillai said that he would be in a position to inform the media about the situation only after a thorough review.
Replying to a question on giving a security advisory role to the NEC, Pillai said that the Government of India would have to take the final decision in this regard. He said that the Administrative Reforms Commission and the Group of Ministers already suggested giving such a role to the NEC, but the Centre is yet to take a final decision in this regard.
The Union Home Secretary also informed that the Centre is appointing an interlocutor for talks with the NSCN (I-M) and parleys are expected to resume soon. He also said that the Government is expecting a positive outcome of the talks with NDFB and DHD(J) soon.
