New Delhi, February 19: 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 are the new initiatives we are taking," 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 are 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 govts of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, Fernandes declined to comment saying "our purpose is to reach a solution, not to have hurdles in between." "I will not go point by point which we can do only during discussion," the minister said.

When asked about his assessment of the progress made so far in reaching a mutually acceptable solution to arguably India's oldest insurgency problem, Fernandes said," It is a uphill task.

But you can read the pinnacle." During the last round of peace parleys, the Naga rebels agreed to a fresh six-month extension of the ceasefire with the Centre on the day the earlier agreement expired.

In the joint statement issued after talks and signed by the Centre's interlocutor, K Padmanabhaiah, and NSCN (I-M) leader Thuingaleng Muivah, both sides had decided to carry political negotiations forward and to take new initiatives to resolve the Naga problem.

The two sides had also agreed to re-activate and make effective mechanisms to address all ceasefire issues, including modification of ground rules.

It's been eight years since the NSCN(IM) and Government entered into talks after a ceasefire agreement came into effect in 1997.The militant outfit has been insisting on integration of Naga-dominated areas in the North east and had even reportedly told Fernandes that it would not be possible for them to renew the current ceasefire if Government fails to take visible steps.

The demand has been vehemently opposed by all the three states.

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