Saturday, December 17 2005 19:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: United Liberation front of Assam (ULFA) chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa has accused the Centre of being 'silent' after the first round of talks between the 11-member Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) and the Prime Minister in Delhi on October 26 and threatened to resume 'armed struggle' if it failed to hold the second round.

"The people must know that the ULFA cannot sit idle. For us it is either resolution of the conflict or struggle. India must cast away its colonial attitude and viewpoints to sit for talks on the core issue of the Indo-Assam conflict," he said in the latest issue of the outfit's mouthpiece 'Freedom'.

He also warned of consequences if the assembly elections in the state were held before the talks.

PCG member Lachit Bordoloi, however, said here the second round of talks between the Centre and the Group was likely to be held between December 20 and 25 in Delhi.

The PCG wanted that the parleys should not be mere 'bureaucratic discussions' and a 'political person' of the concerned department should be present, Bordoloi said.

The Group also wanted one person to be the interlocutor throughout the talks to keep continuity and save time.

Asked if the ULFA's core issue of 'sovereignty for Assam'would be discussed, he said, "Talks on geographical sovereignty can be discussed. Sovereignty is not a limited word when there are shared sovereignty and layered sovereignty today."

On a plebiscite or referendum on the 'sovereignty' issue, the PCG member said, "Nothing has yet been decided. In time we will decide depending on the situation."

The PCG included prominent Assamese journalists, lawyers, a doctor and an engineer for the formal talks between the ULFA and the Center to end the 30-year-old insurgency.