New Delhi, May 16 (Agencies): Days before talks with the NSCN (IM), the Centre today said the Naga issue has to be resolved as a “package” and it would respond point by point to the outfit’s charter of demands which seeks among other things “unification of Naga-inhabited areas” of North East.
In the charter, the NSCN (IM) has sought unification of Naga-inhabited areas, greater rights over natural resources, symbols of sovereignty, separate representation at the UN, joint defence of the State comprising Indian and Naga Army besides others.
“Talks are a continuous process. These have to be held in many stages before things can evolve in concrete shape,” Centre’s pointsman for the Naga talks and Union Minister Oscar Fernandes told media persons here.
Fernandes, who will be holding the second round of parleys with the Naga group in Amesterdam on May 19-20, said the talks were proceeding in the right direction.
On the charter of demands put forward by the NSCN (IM), he said the government would respond point by point to it.
“We are not ruling out anything, unless something concrete emerges,” he said, adding a solution had to be found as a “package” and it would not be possible in one go.
Asked about the NSCN (IM)’s threat not to extend the ongoing ceasefire beyond July 31 if assurance was not given on the unification issue, Fernandes said the government will have to talk to the concerned states - Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam - before taking a final decision on it.
“We have not talked to them (the states) officially. Unless we talk to them and take their opinion it is difficult for me to make any comment on the subject,” Fernandes said.
The issue of unification of Naga-inhabited areas under a single political umbrella or “Greater Nagalim” has been a very sensitive issue in the North East, particularly in Manipur, which saw violence in the past.
Besides, it has greater political ramifications for the Congress party since it is the ruling party in all the three affected states.
When asked whether there was any timeframe for the ongoing peace talks, the Union Minister said discussions are a continuous process and there cannot be a particular timeframe.
At the two-days parleys, the Centre would be represented by Fernandes and interlocutor for Naga talks K Padmanabhaiah while the NSCN (IM) team would be led by chairman Isaac Chishi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah.
NSCN (I-M) and the security forces in Nagaland have been holding fire since 1997 when the ceasefire accord was reached. The accord has been extended every year since then except last year when it was renewed for just six months on the insistence of the Naga outfit and further extended by another six months in February this year.
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