Source: Hueiyen News Service
Dimapur, March 10, 2010:
The latest round of talks between the government of India and the NSCN-IM in New Delhi is still continuing and it is going to be the longest round of talks between the two parties so far which has begun since March 2. Talking to Newmai News Network this evening, V.S Atem, convenor of the Steering Committee, the highest decision making body of the NSCN-IM expressed enthusiasm and happiness that the government of India is taking the talk very serious now.
"The government of India wants to hold the sustained talk now and we can say now that things are going great," V.S Atem said.
On the likely outcome and the time-span of the talk, V.S Atem said that at the moment it is not proper to reveal anything but said that New Delhi's present interlocutor and former Nagaland chief secretary R.S Pandey assisted by a group of officials are currently holding talks with the NSCN-IM leader.
It is pertinent to note that NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and his team had held a 40-minute talk with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on March 2 followed by over 1 hour talk with Union Home minister P.Chidambaram in New Delhi on the same day.
When asked whether Th.Muivah would be coming to Nagaland, V.S Atem said that at the moment such programme is yet to be ascertained.
Meanwhile, three Naga underground groups viz, the NSCN-IM, the FGN/NNC and the NSCN-K have held a joint meeting today in Dimapur and signed 4-point agreement in the interest of the Nagas.
Today's meeting was conducted under the banner Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR).
"In our total commitment to strengthen and achieve Naga Reconciliation: A Journey of Common Hope, the Joint Working Group of the GPRN/NSCN (NSCN-K), NNC/FGN, NSCN/GPRN (NSCN-IM) and the Forum for Naga Reconciliation appeal to uphold, respect and implement the Covenant of Reconciliation in the spirit of inclusiveness; To cease all offensive activities in toto; and all Naga army commanders in the Naga areas are hereby requested to uphold and abide by this principle; To maintain status quo and to restrain from making any provocative statements in the media, which may be detrimental to the Naga reconciliation process; and To jointly monitor and check anti-social activities," said the joint statement.C.Singson of the NSCN-K, Zhopra Vero of the FGN/NNC, Q Tuccu of the NSCN-IM and Rev Dr Wati Aier of the FNR signed the joint statement.