Morung Express News
October 27
Dimapur: The National Security Council (NSC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, after having been briefed on the Naga peace process recently, is to take a view on whether to approach the civil and political leadership of Assam and Manipur on the integration of Naga-inhabited areas.
The Central team led by Minister of State for Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes wants to approach leadership of other north eastern states on the integration issue to prevent talks from breaking down, according to reliable sources. Fernandes had earlier informed newspersons at Dimapur that a conclave on AIDS involving all Chief Ministers and Legislators of the region would be held at Guwahati on November 19. There is ‘talks’ that the occasion may be used to organise an informal conclave to facilitate a meeting among leaders from the region on the Naga integration demand. Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi has been requested to act as the Chairman of the committee with regard to the conclave on AIDS.
The Centre and the NSCN (I-M) are likely to hold the next round of talks in Bangkok in late November. The NSCN (I-M), which refused to extend the truce beyond six months, while coming up with specific suggestions—step by step approach to issues like integration of Naga-inhabited areas and special federal relationship with India—is reportedly unhappy with the slow pace of talks on the integration demand.
The Naga outfit during the last round of talks in Bangkok had reportedly urged the Centre to take a political initiative on its demand for integration of all Naga-inhabited areas.
The latest NSC meeting was attended by top Indian leaders such as Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Shivraj Patil and P Chidambram besides National Security Advisor MK Narayanan, Cabinet Secretary BK Chaturvedi, and the centre’s interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah.
