Top jailed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) leaders in Assam say they will not jump parole if the government frees them to facilitate holding of peace talks with New Delhi. 

"If the government is sincere in its intentions of bringing in peace, they should release us to pave the way for holding talks," ULFA vice chairman Pradip Gogoi told IANS outside a local court in Assam's main city of Guwahati.

"We are not going to flee or repeat the strategy that we adopted in the past."

In 1992, a group of five senior jailed ULFA leaders were freed and taken to New Delhi for initiating talks with then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. After holding one round of talks, the leaders jumped parole.

"The situation then was quite different from now with the people of Assam clamouring for peace and our leadership, too, is equally keen to resolve the conflict through negotiations," the ULFA leader said. 

Last week the outlawed group, which has been battling for an independent homeland in Assam since 1979, demanded the release of four jailed leaders as a precondition for holding talks with the government.

"Our (ULFA) constitution clearly states that no important political decision can be taken without a quorum in the central executive. It will be in the interests of peace that the government first release us from jail," said another top woman ULFA leader Pranati Deka.

In a statement earlier, ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah had demanded the release of some of the outfit's jailed leaders, saying they require at least 10 members of their central committee to discuss New Delhi's offer of talks.

"Right now, only six members are free and the rest are in jail," the rebel statement said. 

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had earlier announced that his government was prepared to "walk the extra mile" to facilitate holding of talks with the ULFA. 

"We have no problems in releasing the jailed ULFA leaders if that helps in ushering in peace," the chief minister said.