India calls for Assam dialogue

The Indian defence minister, George Fernandes, says the government will only hold peace talks with separatists in Assam if the state authorities initiate a dialogue first.

Speaking during a visit to Assam, Mr Fernandes said the state government had to get things going before Delhi officials could join in.

The BBC North East India correspondent says both the Assam authorities and the Indian central government have been trying to start talks with the ULFA separatists for more than a year, to end the continuing violence in Assam in which hundreds of people have died.

But so far, ULFA has been insisting on United Nations mediation, and that sovereignty for Assam should be on the agenda.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service