Nagaland CM hopes Centre, NSCN-IM to solve vexed Naga problem soon

Guwahati, Aug 12:  Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today said he was hopeful that the Central government and the NSCN-IM would soon resolve in toto the vexed Naga political issues.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-led Nagaland government had on several occasions earlier urged the Central government to conclude the ongoing Naga peace talks before the Nagaland Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

Rio told media in Kohima today that the core committee on Naga political issues had recently met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and discussed the Naga peace talks issue. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was also present in the meeting.

The Nagaland Chief Minister asserted that the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and Centre's interlocutor A.K. Mishra would hold discussions to resolve the all-important Naga political issues.

Mishra, the former Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau, l visited Kohima, Dimapur and the headquarters of the NSCN-IM camp, Hebron (near Dimapur) last year and held discussions with Thuingaleng Muivah, General Secretary of NSCN-IM, and many other Naga leaders.

The NSCN-IM's repeated insistence on a separate Naga flag and Constitution has become a big hurdle in resolving the Naga issue.

After signing a formal ceasefire agreement with the NSCN-IM in 1997, the Central government has so far held more than 85 rounds of negotiations with the NSCN-IM and other Naga political groups (rebel groups).