Centre’s interlocutor for peace talks with North-East militants P C Haldar on Thursday said he was “optimistic about taking the peace talks with the ULFA forward as they have expressed their willingness for unconditional talks.”

The first meeting with ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa since his release from jail “was very positive and I am optimistic about taking the peace process forward,” Haldar told reporters after more than a three-hour meeting with Rajkhowa and the outfit’s ‘Deputy Commander-in-Chief’ Raju Barua.

“The ULFA has expressed their willingness for unconditional talks. Yes, they have made a request that the outfit’s General Secretary Anup Chetia be brought back to the country so that he can participate in the peace talks but this is not a pre-condition,” he added.

Haldar further said that he will convey the “request to the government because it is the government which will take the necessary step in this regard.”

Asked about participation of the outfit’s ‘Commander in Chief’ Paresh Barua in the peace talks, Haldar said, “The decision to participate or not to do so is a personal decision of the person concerned and we have nothing to do with it.”

Regarding the shouting of pro-ULFA slogans and waving of the banned outfit’s flag following Rajkhowa’s release, Haldar said, “We have conveyed to the leaders that it was not in the right spirit and they have assured us that the cadres will be advised not to do so in the future.”