Source: Hueiyen News Service
New Delhi, September 01 2009:
The Centre has decided not to extend the term of former Union home secretary K Padmanabhaiah as interlocutor for talks with the Naga outfit NSCN(IM).
It will instead hold direct negotiations with the rebels to find a lasting solution to the vexed issue of insurgency in Nagaland.
"The term of Padmanabhaiah, who has served as interlocutor for a decade, has come to an end on Monday.
We have decided not to extend his tenure.
Now onwards, the government will talk directly to NSCN(IM)," said a senior home ministry official.
Padmanabhaiah was first appointed as interlocutor for Naga talks on July 28, 1999, for one year but he had been getting extension since then.
Since August 1997, there has been a ceasefire with NSCN(IM).
Padmanabhaiah's role ends; Govt to hold direct talks with Naga Updated on Tuesday, September 01, 2009, 00:07 IST Tags: Naga talks, Padmanabhaiah's role ends.
New Delhi: After a decade, the Centre has decided to wind up term of K Padmanabhaiah as interlocutor for talks with the Naga group NSCN-IM and will hold direct negotiations with the rebels to find a lasting solution to insurgency in Nagaland.
The term of Padmanabhaiah, a former Union Home Secretary, who has served as interlocutor for talks with NSCN(IM) for a decade, has come to an end today.
"We have decided not to extend his tenure.
Now onwards, the government of India will talk directly to the NSCN(IM)," a senior Home Ministry official said.
69-year-old Padmanabhaiah described his service as satisfactory and said he has been submitting reports to the government about the progress of the negotiations regularly.
"I have completed my tenure and I have not heard anything from the government," he said.
Padmanabhaiah was first appointed as interlocutor for Naga talks on July 28, 1999, for one year but he had been getting extension for his task for one year every time.
He retired as Union Home Secretary on October 31, 1997 .
A ceasefire was agreed upon with NSCN(IM) since August 1997.In May 1998, the first negotiator Swaraj Kaushal was appointed.
He continued till July 1999 .