ULFA Commander in Chief Paresh Barua has stuck to 'sovereignty' as precondition any possible talk with the Government of India and made it clear that without that being on the agenda, there would be no talk.
With today's statement, Barua also put all speculation at rest that he and the ULFA (Independence) would soon join the peace process with the Government after the successful signing of the third Bodo Accord.
Giving a telephonic interview to a TV channel tonight, he insisted that if the Government gives in the black and white assurance that sovereignty shall be disused in the negotiating table the ULFA would be sending their delegation.
He made the distinction between Bodo Accord and possible ULFA accord saying that the Bodo Accord could be possible because it was about the creation of a Bodo administrative area within the Indian state.
"But we are demanding sovereignty and that is the one point agenda for us. Let the Government of India keep sovereignty in the negotiable table. We will put our points and let the Government of India also put their comments. If so many countries can talk on this why not India."
He also said that there could not be any "unconditional talk without an explicit declaration of Sovereignty"
"Even the Nagas got caught in this maze. We can not go to the cage. Muviah personally had informed me how he got caught with the word unconditional while accepting negotiation with the Government of India. He told me at my house. But I am not going to accept the unconditional talk. It has to be sovereignty."
He also insisted that Assam had a strong history and without sovereignty, it would not be possible for any talk. "Just give a one-line statement, we will send team to the negotiating table. This is the problem between Government of India and us."
Meanwhile, the Government of India has made up its mind to go ahead with the peace process of the ULFA without Paresh Barua. This was announced by peace interlocutor AB Mathur, who informed by April a peace accord with the ULFA would be possible.