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Fresh round of Naga talks today
- Focus on committee’s findings, silence on Naga warring groups

New Delhi, April 15: Another round of Naga talks will begin here tomorrow evening with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) expecting a commitment from Delhi this time.

The outfit had said on Sunday that its “patience was running out” because of Delhi’s “delaying tactics” in resolving the Naga political problem.

The focus this time will be on the NSCN (I-M)’s present demand for a separate constitution for Nagalim — the outfit’s principle notion that proposes to bring together all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas.

Delhi has so far refused to concede to this demand.

“We will mainly talk on the committee that was formed. We do not have anything substantial tomorrow,” Oscar Fernandez, who will head the Delhi team for the Naga talks, told The Telegraph today.

The NSCN (I-M) had last year constituted a committee to study parts of the Constitution to know what is acceptable in it.

A NSCN (I-M) source, too, said they would focus on the committee’s findings. “But we do consider this as a crucial round of talks as we have been talking for the last several years and now expect them to say what they can give us and how much they can accommodate us,” he added.

He said the outfit would fight for its “principles”.

More than 60 rounds of talks have been held between Delhi and the NSCN (I-M) since 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was signed.

Observers feel the Centre wants to continue with the status quo even as a delicately balanced Naga tribal society keeps feeling the turmoil. Delhi says it wants reconciliation between the warring Naga outfits, but has not offered any facilitation for the same.

Both sides agree that factional fighting is the militant groups’ own business and will not discuss the new rebel group, the NSCN (Unification), tomorrow.

Fernandez said the formation of the new group was an internal matter of the Nagas and the government did not want to interfere in it.

An NSCN (I-M) leader agreed that there was no need to discuss the NSCN (U) during peace talks.

NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th. Muivah flew to Delhi two days ago for the talks.

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