NSCN-IM general secretary Th. Muivah and chairman Isak Chishi Swu during the interview at Camp Hebron. Picture by Jahansher Firoze

Camp Hebron (Dimapur), Dec. 27: The NSCN (Isak-Muivah) has come round to the view that a ?composite dialogue? with Delhi on the lines of the Indo-Pak talks holds more promise than ?core issue-based? discussions.

Thuingaleng Muivah, general secretary of the insurgent group, said in an exclusive interview to The Telegraph ? the first since he and chairman Isak Chishi Swu arrived in Nagaland ? that a dialogue based on only the main issue was not the ideal way to go about it.

?It may not be possible to solve all the problems at one go,? Muivah said.

Pointing to the Indo-Pak dialogue, he said it had metamorphosed into a composite discussion on topics other than the core issue, Kashmir.

Both Muivah and Swu said they were looking at the ongoing talks with Delhi in a realistic manner without being too hopeful.

?Let us not be very hopeful. Let us be realistic,? Muivah said.

The interview took place at the highly-fortified Red Zone inside Camp Hebron at Manglamukh, where the NSCN (I-M)?s general headquarters are located.

The NSCN (I-M) leaders said they had drafted a set of proposals which the Centre was now studying. The duo, however, declined to say what these proposals were all about.

Articulating the outfit?s policy, Muivah said they understood the ?difficulties of India? and hoped Delhi would understand theirs. He said the ?Indian leadership? had realised that there could not be any solution to the Naga problem without the integration of the Naga-inhabited areas of the region, which is the ?core issue? of the talks.

?That realisation is there. They also understand that there is no logic in keeping the Naga people divided. It will never solve the problem,? the general secretary said.

In the same breath, he urged the Naga people to understand the ?practical difficulties? that Delhi faces. ?The nature of the matter demands of us to be patient.?

The Swu-Muivah duo hinted that they were prepared to mend fences with their rivals. ?But any reconciliation has to be issue-based and on admission of past mistakes. Only then will there be a meeting point,? Muivah said.

The chairman and the general secretary said their stay in their ?homeland? would depend on the progress of the ongoing talks with Delhi. Swu and Muivah indicated they might extend their stay in Nagaland indefinitely, depending on the progress of the ongoing consultations with representatives of all tribes and the subsequent dialogue with Delhi.

?Yes, we may even stay beyond January if everything goes well,? Swu said.

The chairman said the NSCN (I-M) would continue consulting all Naga organisations, political parties and the intelligentsia on the ?Indo-Naga? peace process.

?We will explain to them the change in Delhi?s attitude. We have to understand the importance of Delhi?s recognition of the uniqueness of Naga history,? the soft-spoken Swu said.

He described the Centre?s acknowledgement of the uniqueness of Naga history as one of the great achievements of the community.

The NSCN (I-M) leaders have been meeting representatives of various organisations since arriving here and the response so far, Swu said, had been very positive. ?They fully support us on the issue,? he and Muivah said almost in unison.

Delhi has asked the NSCN (I-M) leadership to return to the capital by January 25 to start discussions on ?substantive issues?. Swu and Muivah reached Dimapur on December 14 and have since been holed up in Camp Hebron.