The Indian government has invited the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) for talks in a bid to make peace with the last major insurgent group still active in the country's northeast.
An Indian home ministry official in New Delhi said a formal letter was sent from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Friday to ULFA.
"The letter signed by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan was addressed to ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa," the official told IANS by telephone.
The letter from PMO was handed over to Assamese writer Indira Goswami, who has been requested by ULFA to mediate in the peace talks with New Delhi.
"I do not want to disclose the contents of the letter but I can say it is very encouraging and is a positive move forward," Goswami also told IANS by telephone from New Delhi.
"I have e-mailed the letter to the ULFA chairman and I hope they respond positively."
The PMO's letter is in response to a letter from the ULFA chairman to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh two months ago in which the group offered to hold talks if New Delhi discussed its main demand for 'sovereignty' or independence.
"We are hopeful of a breakthrough. From our side we are ready to extend whatever is required to facilitate negotiations with ULFA," Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.
On Wednesday, Indian home ministry and Assam government officials signed a ceasefire pact with the outlawed National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in New Delhi, another powerful tribal rebel group in Assam.
"If ULFA too joins the peace process like NDFB, we hope to bring the curtains down on one of the most violent insurgencies in the northeast," Gogoi said.
In the past two days, ULFA triggered a series of explosions targeting power transformers and road bridges, besides attacking an army convoy and injuring at least four soldiers.
The ULFA has been fighting for an independent homeland in Assam since 1979 and is considered one of the most organised rebel outfits in the northeast.
Harvard students condemn Oxford University
Publish Date : 3/5/2007 7:11:00 AM
Two Harvard students, including an NRI, have condemned Oxford University, where they are Rhodes scholars, as "outdated" and "frustrating" and dismissed its world famous Bodleian library as "less than inspiring".
Indian embassy to outsource jobs to American firm
Publish Date : 3/5/2007 7:10:00 AM
After taking thousands of American jobs through outsourcing, India is planning to give a few back. The Indian embassy in the US capital is planning to outsource processing of visas to a US-based company.
Badal heads 18-member coalition ministry in Punjab(Final lead: Badal)
Publish Date : 3/3/2007 7:29:00 AM
Octogenarian leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Parkash Singh Badal, on Friday took oath as Punjab's new Chief Minister and will lead an 18-member SAD-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition ministry.
Bareilly eunuch adopts a girl child
Publish Date : 3/3/2007 7:22:00 AM
It was a day of celebration for Saroj, a eunuch in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, as 'she' has become a 'mother' by adopting a baby girl.
Kalam offers prayer at Fatehpuri Masjid
Publish Date : 3/3/2007 7:16:00 AM
Keeping a promise made two years ago, President A P J Abdul Kalam today offered prayers at the historic Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk here along with thousands of Muslims.
Union Budget directionless, says Modi
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:41:00 AM
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today criticised the Union Budget by terming it as "directionless".
Centre allocates over Rs 100 crore for minority zones
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:38:00 AM
Unfazed by the BJP's criticism over its welfare schemes for Muslims, the Congress-led Central Government has allocated over Rs 100 crore for development programmes in select districts with a sizeable population of minorities.
Kins of political bigwigs fail to find voters' favour
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:27:00 AM
The assembly polls in Punjab turned out to be unkind for several kins of political bigwigs as voters rejected most of them barring some of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) supremo Parkash Singh Badal's near and dear ones.
High Court order on age of nursery admission tomorrow
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:24:00 AM
The Delhi High Court today observed that the city Government's submission that a child should be four-years-old to get admission in nursery class was contrary to the law.
Parliament session may be stormy tomorrow on Quattrocchi issue
Publish Date : 3/1/2007 8:18:00 AM
After the lull, it is going to be storm again in Parliament tomorrow.
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