Oscar is Centre’s new pointman on Naga talks

That the Naga peace talks, aimed at ending the decades-old insurgency, are still on was confirmed today by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee. ‘‘The GoM constituted for the purpose is carrying out negotiations. These are continuing and there is nothing to report,’’ he told reporters. Muivah also met Home Minister Shivraj Patil today.

Official sources said Oscar Fernandes was asked to handle the dialogue after 12-13 rounds of formal discussions with the insurgent leadership failed to provide a breakthrough.

Fernandes has already held two rounds of informal discussions with Muivah who plans to leave for The Netherlands towards the end of the month.

The stalemate in the Naga peace process was discussed in detail by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ahead of the Left-UPA coordination meeting last Sunday.

It’s learnt that though the PM sees the dialogue as a golden opportunity to settle the Naga issue, his key aides, including National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, find it difficult to accept crucial demands of the NSCN (I-M) like integration of all Naga-inhabited areas and a federal relationship with India. Moreover, the Army and the Home Ministry have their own positions.

Though the Naga leadership is expected to renew the ceasefire on July 31, Oscar Fernandes has very little on the platter. The Naga proposals, submitted on April 1, 2004, have not been discussed either at the CCPA or at the CCS for the Government to form a definitive negotiating strategy.

The three ministers—Oscar Fernandes, Prithviraj Chavan, S Regupathy—who were the Government’s interlocutors for the Naga peace process repeatedly told the PMO and the Home Ministry that the process would not go far until the CCS takes up the insurgent outfit’s proposals.