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'Accord implementation important than agreement'

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, Aug 29 - Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has reiterated that implementation of the peace accord signed between the Government of India and NSCN-IM on August 3 is more important than the agreement.

Addressing a security meeting of senior government officials and security agencies at Raj Bhavan in Kohima last evening, the Governor said, �we should welcome the proposal for the �inclusiveness� of all Naga Political Groups in the agreement and our job is to create more conducive atmosphere for implementation of the peace accord.�

Interlocutor for Naga peace talks RN Ravi held a series of consultative meetings with various organisations and church in Kohima after signing of the peace accord.

According to a report in a local daily, Ravi said there will be a �division of power� with Nagas having absolute power. Citing the Article 371(A), contained in the 16-Point Agreement that resulted in the formation of Nagaland, he said though Nagaland enjoys absolute safeguard as per the Article, the Centre would have �eminent domain� and overriding power.

On sharing the sovereign power, he said the Nagas will be the �master� while in case of minerals and resources �whatever is below and above land� will belong to Nagas.

Ravi said sharing sovereign power will not be mere semantics or playing with words but that there will be a �genuine devolution� where Nagas will become �almost sovereign-like.� He said this was what Government of India translated in terms of uniqueness of Naga history.

On �what would be the shape� of the arrangement for Nagas outside Nagaland, he said it would depend on how it was negotiated by both the parties.

Regarding the crucial issue of integration of Naga areas in the North East, Ravi admitted that it still remained in the agenda while adding that it would have to be achieved through a democratic process. He also made it clear that physical integration in terms of boundary is not possible at this point of time since the Government of India is �not going to touch the boundaries of other States�.

�Integration, theoretically is possible but practically no� when the States oppose, the people oppose, you cannot just force unilaterally,� he stated. He said redrawing political boundaries required a democratic and constitutional process by which new States were created. However, he said the Nagas could still keep the door open since the Centre has not rejected the demand but that they have to follow the process.

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