Kokrajhar (Assam), Nov 05: Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonpo Jigme Yozer Thinley is camping at the Kalikhola area of Bhutan near the Assam border holding talks with militant outfits in the area, official sources said here today. Thinley is trying to persuade leaders of the Ulfa, NDFB and Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) to close their camps in that country, the sources said.

Bhutan's National Assembly had adopted a resolution in its 80th session urging the need for dialogue to convince the militants to leave the Kingdom and retreat. According to a list prepared by Bhutan, Ulfa has nine camps, NDFB has eight and KLO has three in that country.

Thinley was provided with armed escort from Datgiri to Srirampur on the Assam-Bengal border and will be camping at Kalikhola at the trijunction of Assam, Bengal and Bhutan for five days before returning to Thimpu via the same route, a senior police official said.

Thinley's visit to the area is being viewed as a last-ditch effort to ensure that the militants leave the Himalayan Kingdom without any confrontation.

Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, during his five-day visit, to India had assured that militants' camps in his country will be soon dismantled. Bureau Report