NEW DELHI, MAY 18 (PTI): Amid increasing pressure from NSCN (IM) seeking early and “honourable” settlement of the Naga problem, a crucial two-day meeting between the insurgent group and the Centre will be held in Amsterdam beginning tomorrow.
A government delegation comprising the Centre’s points man for Naga talks and Union Minister Oscar Fernandes and interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah will be leaving for the Netherlands to take part in the meeting while representatives of NSCN(IM) led by Chairman Isaac Chishi Swu and General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah has already been camping there, sources said. NSCN (IM) has been demanding a clear government stand on unification of Naga-inhabitated areas in North East as well as an early and “honourable” settlement to the problem.
Maintaining that the talks are expected to focus upon substantive issues that would be crucial for the future of the Nagas, NSCN (I-M) ‘Kilonser’ (minister) for Information and Publicity, Jhoney Dilbung said in a statement in Kohima yesterday that “if more than half a century (of) loss due to the conflict for both parties cannot be an eye opener and diplomacy replaces it, then there looms graver darkness on the horizon.” Fernandes had told PTI on Tuesday that the Naga issue has to be resolved as a “package” and the Centre would respond point by point to the outfit’s charter of demands.
“Talks are a continous process. These have to be held in many stages before things can evolve in concrete shape. We are not ruling out anything unless something concrete emerges,” the Union Minister had said.
.jpg)
