Imphal, Feb. 2: The Goodwill Mission for Peaceful Co-existence, a citizens' body, today expressed hope that the Manipur government and the United Naga Council (UNC) will lay the groundwork for lifting the economic blockade, imposed by the Naga organisation for more than three months now, during tomorrow's tripartite talks in Delhi.

The joint secretary, home, in-charge of the Northeast, Satyendra Garg, will preside over the meeting which has been convened by the Union home ministry.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today sent state principal secretary, home, Suresh Babu and commissioner (works) K. Radhakumar Singh, to represent the state government.

UNC president Gaidon Kamei and information secretary Stephen Sankhil were also taken to Delhi with security escorts for the talks.

The two have been in jail since being arrested in connection with the blockade in November last year. Manipur High Court has given them permission to take part in the talks in Delhi.

This is the first meeting between the UNC leaders and the state government after the former imposed an indefinite economic blockade on National Highway 2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) and National Highway 37 (Imphal-Jiribam road) on November 1, demanding rollback of the seven new districts.

After imposing the blockade, the UNC launched picketing of government offices in the four Naga-dominated districts of Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Chandel and Senapati, affecting functioning of offices.

"We appreciate that the Centre, the state government and the UNC have come to the negotiating table. We are hoping that both the state government and the UNC leaders will work out a situation that will lead to lifting of the blockade to mitigate the sufferings of the people," Ningthouja Lancha, convener of the Goodwill Mission, told reporters today.

The Mission was formed in November last year by leaders of various communities and churches to defuse escalating tension caused by burning of more than 20 vehicles bound for Ukhrul district by counter-blockade enforcers in Imphal East.

It acted as mediator between the UNC, state government and the Centre to ensure that the state government and the UNC leaders sit down and find a solution to end the blockade.

The Mission is aware that tomorrow's talks may not bring an immediate solution but it appealed to all stakeholders to move forward towards lifting the blockade in view of the sufferings of the people.