NEW DELHI, FEB 19 (PTI): Weeks after assuring the Naga militant outfit NSCN (IM) of “new initiative” at the recently held talks in Bangkok; the Centre is “determined” to find a solution to the vexed issue within the tenure of the UPA Government.
“The Government is quite positive and determined to find a solution,” Union Minister Oscar Fernandes who has been holding talks with NSCN (IM) said while replying to a question on whether a mutually acceptable solution could be found during the tenure of the UPA Government.
“I would not venture to say when we will be able to find a solution. But I will be bold enough to say that we will be able to find a solution,” he told PTI here.
Refusing to share details about the “new initiatives”, mentioned in the joint statement issued on Jan 31 after the extended four-day dialogue with NSCN(IM) leadership in Bangkok, he said piecemeal action and reaction will not help in the contouring of the discussions.
“That is only we to know what the new initiatives we are taking are,” he said.
Asked to comment on contentious issues from where the discussions are not moving forward, he said the continuation of dialogue shows that there is some progress in the talks.
“I will not be able to get into the details. But the very fact that we have continued to talk shows that there is some progress,” he said.
On whether Government will take up the issue of integration of Naga dominated areas, as demanded by the rebels, with state governments of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, Fernandes declined to comment saying “our purpose is to reach a solution, not to have hurdles in between.”
Meanwhile, speaking to The Morung Express, Kilo Kilonser of the NSCN (IM) Rh Raising said the “new initiative” as mentioned in the joint statement was an initiative for the Centre to take. “Even we don’t know about the new initiative,” he said. He repeated the oft-quoted line, “The ball is in India’s court” and went on to say that a solution was at hand “if they can take concrete steps.”
As such, he said, it was now the prerogative of the UPA government to deliver a solution if they feel they can bring about a settlement within their stipulated five year period.
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