AGARTALA, May 17 � Peace parleys with the �outlawed� ULFA would begin shortly as Assembly elections are over in Assam, said Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.
Chidambaram, who arrived here to open an Integrated Checkpost, said the Centre wants to find an honourable solution to whatever issue the ULFA leaders raise. �ULFA leadership including Arabinda Rajkhowa was requested to prepare a roadmap for initiating peace talks when they met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and me in Delhi�, he said.
Chidambaram said, �Full-fledged peace talks with the ULFA will get under way as the Assembly elections are over in Assam�. On the �defiant� ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, Chidambaram said the doors are open for any group having legitimate grievances. �Paresh Baruah who is outside the country, should come back if he wants to hold talks with the State Government or Centre�, he said.
On the progress of peace dialogue with NSCN (IM), he said talks are progressing with the Naga insurgent group. �The peace talks which were initiated in foreign soil, are now taking place in the country. We are hopeful of an honourable solution to the on going peace parleys with the NSCN-IM)�.
On the militancy in Tripura, Chidambaram said that there had been a significant reduction in the number of militants due to firm stand taken by the state government as well as all political parties. �The number of militants has been reduced to around 150 who are still in Bangladesh�, he said. Asserting that there would not be any quarter for violence, he said the Centre is ready to hold talks with any group if they have genuine grievances.
Chidambaram also praised Bangladesh�s role in maintaining internal security in the country. �We have developed a splendid relation with Bangladesh government after new government came to power in the neighouring country�, he said.
Earlier, Chidambaram laid the foundation stone for the Rs 73-crore Integrated Checkpost here in presence of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Industries Minister Jitendra Chowdhury. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the ICP would facilitate better movement of goods and people through the checkpost.
Later, Chidambaram held meetings with the Chief Minister and senior state government officials where some problems related to barbed wire fencing, repatriation of Reang refugees etc., were discussed at length.
