Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, January 27:
Extension of ceasefire will be on top of the agenda during the two-day talks between the Centre and leadership of major Naga insurgent group NSCN (IM) begining in Bangkok tomorrow.
The ceasefire is expiring on January 31 next week.
The two sides will also review the events relating to ceasefire, which came into force in 1997 for the first time for six months in July last year, informed sources told PTI here today.
Earlier the ceasefire used to be extended by a year.
While the Indian delegation will be led by Minister of State for Overseas Indian Affairs Oscar Fernandes and include interlocutor for Naga talks K Padmanabhaiah, the Naga group will comprise of its leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah.
The talks assume significance with the outfit mounting presure on the Government to decide on their demand of integration of Naga-dominated areas or face breakdown of the almost seven-year ceasefire.
The militant outfit has been insisting on integration of Naga-dominated areas and had even threatened to end the ceasefire agreement if Government did not take a decision on their central demand soon.
The earlier round of talks failed to make any headway as the NSCN (IM) leaders had been insisting on "Greater Nagalim" which also includes parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Last month, Fernandes and K Padmanabhaiah had visited Bangkok for talks with the NSCN(IM) leaders but returned without any assurance from the insurgents over ceasefire extension.
Fernandes had said he was hopeful that ceasefire would be extended as "everyone wants peace".