Wednesday, June 21 2006 18:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: The ULFA-nominated People's Consultative Group (PCG) today (June 21, 2006) left for New Delhi for the third round of parleys with the Centre, with its memberssaying their sole agenda was to bring the insurgent group to the negotiation table for direct talks.

PCG spokesman Lachit Bordoloi told reporters here, "The PCG has served its purpose by setting the ground for direct talks. We and the Centre agreed on many issues during our last two rounds of talks. Now we hope the Centre and the ULFA will talk directly."

Asked to spell out the achievements during the two round of talks on October 25 last year and February seven this year, Bordoloi said, "Our only job is to bring the two parties together. Issues are subordinate. It is difficult to go point by point over the issues.

"We are moving in the right direction and marching forward positively. We hope the government will invite the ULFA for direct talks very soon and all issues raised by the PCG will be settled," he said.

Though ULFA's demand for the release of five jailed members of its central executive council has been opposed by the Centre, Bordoloi said, "It is premature to say anything now. The Assam government's stand on it is very positive. Let's see what the Centre does in the third round of talks tomorrow."

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has assured the Assam Government will ensure the success of the peace process by playing a positive role even though he will not attend tomorrow's talks due to ill-health.

Chief Secretary S Kabilan will represent the state government at the parleys.

The Assam government has recommended to the Centre that some of the five jailed ULFA central executive council members be released.

Chief Secretary Kabilan, who also heads the anti-insurgency Unified Command Structure, had earlier said the Assam government had recommended their release to the Centre.

The imprisonment period for the five insurgent leaders, arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) and now held in the Guwahati District Jail,has expired.

They are ULFA vice chairman Pradip Gogoi, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, political advisor and ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain, publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary and hardcore member Ramu Mech.

Gogoi was arrested in Kolkata in 1998. Deka was apprehended from West Garo Hills in Meghalaya in 2003 after she jumped bail in 1998 following her arrest in Mumbai the previous year.

Buragohain, Daimary and Mech were taken into custody during the Bhutan Army's operation against Northeastern militant camps in the kingdom in December 2003.

ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah has been demanding their release as the 10-member central executive council members alone can decide on direct talks with the government.

Anup Chetia, the outfit's general secretary and also a member of the council, is in jail in Bangladesh. Though he has completed his prison term, he has not been released for security reasons.