New Delhi, Oct. 25: A tripartite meet involving the Centre, the Assam government and Ulfa today had broad discussions on the outfit’s charter of demands that it had submitted to the government in August.

The Ulfa team was led by its chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa.

Union home secretary R.K. Singh, who presided over the discussions, said, “The steps taken by the Ulfa leaders for restoration of peace and normalcy in the area would yield speedier socio-economic development for the people of Assam.”

He promised to review the status of talks, which will now be carried forward by the Centre’s interlocutor for the peace talks with Ulfa, P.C. Haldar, periodically.

Assam chief secretary Naba Kumar Das described the meeting as cordial and fruitful.

“There was some discussion on rehabilitation as well as issues relating to setting up of designated camps — to be christened as Nabanirman Kendras — for the Ulfa cadres,” he said.

Echoing Das, Ulfa vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi said the talks were positive. “The issue of designated camps, framing of ground rules were also discussed,” he said.

“It (the meeting) has set the ball rolling for further talks to bring about a lasting solution to Assam’s insurgency problem,” the official said.

According to him, the Ulfa leaders held discussions with government representatives on various aspects of the group’s charter of demands which sought amendment in the Constitution for finding “meaningful” ways to protect the rights and identity of the indigenous people of Assam. “We want peace in Assam and are happy with the talks,” Ulfa foreign secretary Sashadhar Choudhury said after the meeting. Asked when they would deposit arms, he said: “We have not come here with arms so there is no question of depositing it... We had discussions with the government and spoke about our demands... The next round of talks will take place soon.”

Another official said today’s discussions were broad-based. “The discussions were based on the charter of demands which itself was in very broad terms. As we go along the specifics will emerge,” he said.

Apart from Das, other Assam government officials at the meeting included home commissioner Jishnu Barua and additional director-general of police (special branch) Khagen Sharma. On the other hand, the Union government was represented be secretary, internal security, U.K. Bansal, joint secretary (Northeast) Shambhu Singh, besides the home secretary and Haldar.

“After the preliminary discussions on Ulfa’s demands, Haldar has been requested to hold meetings with the chief secretary, Assam, and Ulfa leaders regularly,” the official said.

In September, the Centre and the Assam government had signed a suspension of operations agreement with Ulfa leaders to bring peace to the state and set the stage for a political solution to the over three-decade insurgency the outfit has waged. With promises to search for a mutually acceptable solution towards finding a possible political solution to the Ulfa-led struggle for a sovereign Assam, the three parties agreed to honour the agreement to suspend armed operations.

Meanwhile, the group’s “commander-in-chief” Paresh Barua, whose whereabouts are uncertain, continues to oppose any dialogue with the Union government that does not discuss the issue of Assam’s sovereignty.