KOHIMA, 23 Apr: The Centre’s interlocutor AK Mishra on Saturday held a third round of talks with the NSCN (IM) and assured it that the final solution to the vexed Naga political issue will be based on the framework agreement of 2015.
The assurance was given by Mishra to the outfit’s general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, who led a 29-member team, during a closed door meeting at the Chumoukedima police complex, NSCN (IM) home kilonser (minister) M Daniel Lotha told PTI here.
Asked if any major decision was taken, he said, “The talks for a final solution will continue between NSCN (IM) and the government of India, based on the framework agreement.”
A fourth round of negotiations will be held between Mishra and Muivah at the same venue on Monday, he added.
The interlocutor also met a delegation of the Naga Hoho (apex body of Naga tribal bodies) during the day and assured them that the final solution to the vexed political issue will be honourable and acceptable to all the Nagas, a release by the body’s media cell said.
The Naga Hoho has members from Arunachal, Assam and Manipur, besides Nagaland.
The six-member Naga Hoho team at the meeting held at the Chumoukedima police station was led by its president HK Zhimomi and general K Elu Ndang.
The tribal body expressed its “deepest appreciation” of Mishra for his painstaking efforts to come to Nagaland to carry forward the peace negotiation and understand the sentiments of the people by taking into confidence the voices of the Nagas.
“Every Naga soul is yearning for a peaceful solution… Let good sense prevail and let us avoid provocative statements against each other as we anticipate a common solution for all Nagas across borders,” it appealed.
Mishra is likely to meet the state government’s core committee on Naga political issue, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, and also Naga civil society organisations on Sunday, officials said.
The former director of the Intelligence Bureau has been in Nagaland since 18 April to take forward the negotiation with different groups and find a permanent solution to the decades old Naga political struggle, which is considered the longest insurgency movement in the Northeast.
The meeting between Mishra and Muivah on Saturday was the third within a week. On Friday, the interlocutor had met 11 leaders of the NSCN (IM), led by Muivah, its principal negotiator, and held a closed door meeting at Camp Hebron, the headquarters of the outfit, on 19 April.
The parleys at Hebron were the first such inside the Naga outfit’s headquarters.
Mishra, who is on his second visit to the northeastern state, had held separate talks with the working committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) on Thursday and had assured them that the Naga solution would be based on the agreed position signed between them and the Centre on 17 November, 2017.
The Centre has been holding separate talks with the NSCN (IM) since 1997 and the NNPGs from 2017. It signed the framework agreement with the NSCN (IM) on 3 August, 2015 and an agreed position with the WC NNPG on 17 November, 2017.
However, no final solution has been achieved till date as the NSCN (IM) remains firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas. (PTI)
