Guawahati, November 22: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said informal contacts have been established with ULFA for holding peace talks but virtually rejected the insurgents' outfit's demand for discussion on sovereignty of Assam.

"Some informal contacts have been established but nothing is quite clear now", he told reporters here prior to his departure for Delhi after his two-day visit to the State.

Singh made it clear that ULFA would be invited for talks only if it stopped violence.

"If they shun violence, then I will invite them for talks but violence and talks cannot go on simultaneously," he said.

Asked about the issue of sovereignty of Assam as demanded by ULFA, the Prime Minister said "Assam is an integral part of the Indian Union.

I will make it clear that there should not be any doubt in the minds of the people in this regard".

Singh said Jnanpith award winner and eminent Assamese litterateur Indira Goswami had talked to him in Delhi last week and "I have encouraged her to go ahead with hex proposal of holding negotiations with ULFA for talks.

But we will like to know who are the particular people prepared for talks".

Regarding the proposed talks, he said "with our own people and our democratic set-up, there is every answer to the problem under our system and the obligations to look into all commitments".

"If there are some disgruntled elements, we invite them for talks," he said.

To a question about the time frame for possible peace talks, Singh said "we are not sitting idle.

If any group is prepared for talks, we are ready".

The Prime Minister appealed to all sections of the people of Assam and Manipur in particular and the North Eastern region in general to work in unison for its overall development.

"Our democratic system has got the resilience to withstand any kind of pressure and demand by any group of people", he said.

"I appeal to the youth in particular to look to the future with renewed vigour so that development and peace are ushered in the years to come", he added.

Earlier, addressing diamond jubilee celebration of "The Shillong Times", Singh, in a clear message to ultras, said power in India flows from the ballot box and not the barrel of a gun and asserted there was no issue or grievance that was intractable.

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