Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told a mediator for United Liberation Front of Assam that he is willing to talk to any "disaffected" group in the country provided it abjured violence.

The PM's special advisor M K Narayanan said on Tuesday that PM "is willing to talk to any disaffected group provided it abjures the path of violence".

Singh said this in a two-page letter appreciating the initiative taken by noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami for the cause of the people of her state.

The ULFA had suggested the name of the writer to put across its point of view to the government.

Speaking to rediff.com, Goswami said she had written a letter to the PM on November 16 regarding the matter.

"Dr Singh wrote back to me on Sunday (December 5) and welcomed my initiative for the people of Assam," she said.

Goswami, a lecturer in Delhi University and an author of several books, has in principle welcomed any role in the issue.

With inputs from PTI

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