Friday, August 25 2006 12:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has rejected New Delhi's precondition that the outfit name its members for direct peace talks with the Government before its five jailed leaders are released.

"There is nothing to say about the fresh conditions imposed by the Government," ULFA chairperson Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement released by a rebel mediator.

The People's Consultative Group (PCG), an 11-member team of civil society leaders nominated by the ULFA to begin exploratory talks with the government, is meeting over the weekend to break the impasse and help jumpstart the peace talks.

"The ULFA has rejected the new conditions set by the government and so we are meeting shortly to decide on our future course of action," Lachit Bordoloi, a rights leader and a PCG member, told sources.

Government peace emissaries during talks Wednesday with two PCG members in New Delhi said the five jailed rebels would be released the moment the authorities received a formal communication from the outfit stating it was ready for direct talks, name the outfit's negotiating team members, and specify a timeframe for the dialogue.

The government also announced extension of suspension of military operations against the ULFA by another 15 days to facilitate direct peace talks.

The ULFA, however, stuck to decisions taken at a meeting between the PCG and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in New Delhi June 22. In the June 22 meeting, the two sides called for restraint with the home minister announcing that the Government could consider the release of five jailed ULFA leaders to the pave the way for direct talks with the rebel leadership.

"We would be able to take further steps on the issue (holding direct talks) only after the decisions taken at the June 22 meeting was implemented by the Government," Rajkhowa said.

The main issue now blocking the start of formal face-to-face talks between the ULFA and Indian government negotiators is the rebels' demand for release of five of their jailed leaders. The ULFA maintains that the outfit was not in a position to take a decision without their five central committee leaders who are currently in jail and hence insisting on their release.

The Indian government on the other hand is apprehensive that the ULFA might depute the five jailed leaders for the direct talks instead of the top rebel leaders like Rajkhowa or Commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah participating in the negotiations.

"Talks would be productive if the ULFA top brass come for talks instead of the second rung leaders (jailed ULFA leaders) and hence we want to know for sure before releasing the jailed leaders the names of those willing to participate in the talks," a home ministry official said requesting anonymity.