Guwahati: Assam Governor Lt Gen (retd) S K Sinha on January 26 urged the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) to come forward for talks to end the age-old insurgency problem of the state.

Addressing a Republic Day function at the historic Judges Field in Guwahati, Sinha said it was "unfortunate" that the ULFA had taken a rigid stance on the issue of negotiation.

"They (ULFA) had put up certain impossible terms and conditions for talks which no government would be able to accept," the Governor said.

"The ULFA has insisted on the presence of representatives of United Nations in the event of talks which should centre around the question of sovereignty of the state which was unacceptable," Sinha said.

He called on the leadership of the ULFA to shrug off its rigidity and cooperate with the government for establishment of permanent peace in the region.

The Governor said the insurgent outfits of the state had camps in Bhutan and other neighbouring countries where the country's security forces could not operate.

"Our neighbouring countries had become hot bed of international terrorism which has affected the development of the region", he said.

After years of conflict, there was comparative peace in Sri Lanka while the insurgents had been crushed in Afghanistan but "our neighbouring countries" were promoting terrorists, the Governor said without naming them.

PTI