New Delhi: Naga rebel group NSCN-IM and
Centre's interlocutor RS Pandey have engaged in informal
talks to accelerate the ongoing peace process and find an
honourable solution to the vexed issue.
A delegation of NSCN-IM, led by 'general secretary'
Thuingaleng Muivah, met Pandey here yesterday and discussed
some of the proposals moved to find out a mutually acceptable
political settlement based on the uniqueness of Naga history.
"We have met yesterday. It was an informal meeting. We
have discussed some issues but I am not in a position to
disclose now," Pandey told agency.
Asked whether there was a possibility of finding a
solution to the Naga issue within this year, Pandey said, "It
is not good to announce something before hand. Let's see."
In July, the government and the NSCN-IM had announced
that they "narrowed" down differences and were working out a
settlement in the "shortest possible time".
Sources said under the proposed peace, the government
would provide maximum autonomy to Nagaland under various
provisions of the Constitution but is unlikely to accept the
demand of the unification of Naga-inhabited areas.
The Naga group has been holding parleys with Pandey to
iron out differences on several vexed issues.
In a joint statement, Pandey and Muivah had said while
the differences between the two parties have narrowed, some of
the proposals would require further negotiations to reach a
mutually acceptable solution.
"By appreciating and respecting each other's position and
difficulties, both the parties are confident of working out a
settlement in the shortest possible time," the statement had
said.
The NSCN-IM has proposed a federal relationship with the
Centre with additional financial and legislative powers while
the government offered financial package for socio-cultural
development of Naga people.
A ceasefire was agreed on with NSCN-IM in August, 1997.
In May, 1998, the Union government had appointed Swaraj
Kaushal as the first negotiator. He continued in his post till
July 1999. After him, former Home Secretary K Padmanabhaiah
took charge as the Centre's pointsman and continued till 2009.
Pandey, a former petroleum secretary and a 1972 batch
Nagaland cadre IAS officer was appointed as the new
interlocutor on February 11, 2010.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 19:54