Guwahati: Army Chief General N C Vij today (Oct 16, 2004) said that there were some ''outside agencies'' helping insurgency in the Northeast and those had to be neutralised.

General Vij told reporters after meeting Assam Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh ''we have to take into account the outside forces actively flaming insurgency in the region and have to work out ways to neutralise their impact.''

He said the banned ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) had no capability but because they were ''outside our borders, they save themselves from our action. We will have to look into this.''

Referring to the NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) truce, the Army Chief said the ground rules and the terms and conditions for the ceasefire would have to be worked out. The State and Centre would look into the matter.

Vij said that there would be no change in the Unified Command structure as it was working well.

''I am satisfied with the cooperation of the State police as well as with the functioning of my own forces,'' he added.

Gen Vij also met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at Titaguri in Kokrajhar and discussed ways to synergise a coordinated approach in further improving the security scenario in Assam.

The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the optimum level of civil military liaison and also the prompt service rendered during the recent floods in the State.

The General, accompanied by GoC Eastern Command Gen J S Verma and GoC 4 Corps A S Jamwal, visited Guwahati, Goalpara, Kokrajhar and Tamulpur to assess insurgency situation.