Thursday, July 27 2006 11:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A mediator negotiating with the Centre on behalf of the banned ULFA will tomorrow deliver to the Union home secretary a letter with the group's demands for starting direct talks with the Government.

Assamese writer Indira Goswami told sources here on Tuesday that she would deliver the letter, written by her and containing the ULFA's three main demands, to Home Secretary V K Duggal.

"I will deliver the letter as the government had wanted that I should give the ULFA's demands in writing," said Goswami, who had spoken on phone to National Security Advisor M Narayanan and Duggal about the group's demands yesterday.

"Duggal had then said the demands should be given in writing," she said.

The demands include the release of five top ULFA leaders held in prisons in Assam, a written assurance that sovereignty for the state would be part of the discussions, and efforts to trace ULFA cadres who have been missing since the Bhutanese Army launched a crackdown against the group in 2003.

Goswami said she would, in her letter, remind the government about a promise made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his meeting with the ULFA-nominated People's Consultative Group to discuss all issues to resolve the insurgency in Assam.

"Her letter would also ask the government to clarify its stand on ULFA's demands," she said.

The Centre has been insisting that ULFA must come forward for direct talks instead on communicating its demands through intermediaries.