Naga peace talks held in Nagaland for first time

A 12-member NSCN(IM) team led by its General Secretary T Muivah who participated in the nearly three-hour long talks acknowledged the difficulties of the Centre in certain areas on the Naga issue.

Muivah said,“Integration is a natural aspiration of the Naga people,we believe the Government of India also understands it and hope they will solve this issue in due course of time.” The both sides came to an understanding on some issues,Pandey said.

“We hope in due course of time we will be able to hammer out the contentious issues,” he said.

Wide ranging issues based on a set of proposals submitted earlier by the NSCN(IM) to the Government of India were discussed in the meeting and both sides expressed their commitment to explore all possibilities to arrive at a consensus on “certain issues” which are “sensitive in nature”,Pandey said without elaborating further.

Pandey said the Centre has invited the NSCN(IM) leaders to hold the next round of peace dialogue in New Delhi.

The talks kept in view the “uniqueness of the Naga history and situation to find a settlement which should be honourable and acceptable to both sides,” he said.

Describing the talks as “significant”,Muivah said this time he noticed “more seriousness and sincerity” on part of the Government of India for finding a negotiated settlement on the basis of “unique rights,history and situation” of the Naga people.

On the Centre’s invitation for next round of peace talks,Muivah said he will consult with his people to arrive at a decision.

Besides the substantive issues on the Naga political problem,the talks discussed the present stalemate on Muivah’s visit to Somdal village,but nothing concrete was disseminated to media.

Pandey was accompanied by Intelligence Bureau Special Director Ajit Lal.