RELEASE OF ULFA CHAIRMAN ELATES CHIEF MINISTER OF NORTHEASTERN INDIA

NATURAL WITH ENGLISH AND HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 1.06

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NO ACCESS BBC

Release of ULFA chairman elates chief minister of northeastern India.

Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of India's northeastern state of Assam, says he is happy with the release of Arabinda Rajkhowa, the chairman of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), and that he hopes for the beginning of peace talks.

PLEASE NOTE THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

SHOWS:

GUWAHATI, ASSAM, INDIA (JANUARY 01, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

2. TARUN GOGOI, CHIEF MINISTER OF INDIA'S NORTHEASTERN ASSAM STATE, ADDRESSING MEDIA

3. CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English and Hindi) TARUN GOGOI, CHIEF MINISTER OF ASSAM, SAYING:"I'm happy about his (Arabinda Rajkhowa) release. And with this a message is also given that with peace talks the matter could be resolved. And this is a good indication that we are receiving, by which our peace talks can soon begin."

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English and Hindi) TARUN GOGOI, CHIEF MINISTER OF ASSAM, SAYING:"We won't wait for anyone. We won't be waiting for Paresh Barua but we will keep the doors open for him whenever he comes back to have peace talks with us. It is not that if he doesn't come the peace talks won't take place."

6. RAJKHOWA SITTING IN CAR WAVING HANDS TO HIS SUPPORTERS

STORY: Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of India's northeastern Assam state, on Saturday (January 01, 2011) said that he is happy with the release of Arabinda Rajkhowa, the chairman of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), and that he hopes for the beginning of peace talks between the two sides.

Speaking after a news conference, Gogoi said that the release is a positive message for peace and harmony.

"I'm happy about his (Arabinda Rajkhowa) release. And with this a message is also given that with peace talks the matter could be resolved. And this is a good indication that we are receiving, by which our peace talks can soon begin," he said.

Rajkhowa was released from a jail in Guwahati city of the state.

He was on Thursday (December 30) granted bail by a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court in to facilitate peace talks in the province.

Gogoi stated that the state government would not wait for Paresh Barua, the Commander-in-Chief of the ultra group, but is welcome to join the peace talks.

"We won't wait for anyone. We won't be waiting for Paresh Barua but we will keep the doors open for him whenever he comes back to have peace talks with us. It is not that if he doesn't come the peace talks won't take place," he said.

According to media reports, the former Intelligence Bureau chief, P. C. Haldar had met Rajkhowa for nearly an hour on December 17 last year and worked out the modalities for the peace talks.

Rajkhowa is the sixth top ULFA leader to be released on bail.

He was arrested along with the outfit's Finance Secretary Chitrabon Hazarika and Foreign Secretary Sasadhar Choudhury, who were picked up in Bangladesh and handed over to Indian authority at Dawki border post in Meghalaya in December 2009.

Reportedly, five more ULFA leaders including its vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, Deputy Commander in Chief Raju Barua, Central Publicity Secretary Mithinga Daimari, Cultural Secretary Pranati Deka and Adviser Bhimkanta Buragohain have already been released on bail.