Bangkok, Dec 08: NSCN (IM) leaders will meet Indian negotiators for a second round of talks here today to sort out the prickly issue of reported remarks by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that integration of Naga areas in the North-East was not possible because of lack of consensus among all parties.
T Muivah, General Secretary and the chief negotiator of NSCN-IM, met veteran bureaucrat K Padmanabaiah here yesterday, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the issue.
"We had lengthy talks, formal and later informal, and the
only issue which came up for discussion was the recent remarks
by Vajpayee in Kohima about 'integration of Naga areas'," T Muivah told news persons.
"We took the remarks very seriously and unless they are
clarified we see no point in carrying on talks between the
two sides," Muivah said.
He admitted that during the day-long meeting yesterday, Padmanabaiah had tried to convince the Naga side that "nothing is ruled out" but the NSCN (IM) leader said, "I am still not convinced."
With these remarks, the premier "has shut the door
against us," Muivah said.
Bureau Report
