AIZAWL, Feb 28 - The fourth round of peace talks between Mizoram government and Hmar People�s Convention (Democratic) militants will be held in March, a senior State Home Department official said today.
The fourth round of talks, earlier scheduled to be held during mid-February, was postponed as the Home Department had to approach Law and Finance departments, Additional Secretary in the Home Department, Lalbiakzama said. We have been pushing for clearances from the State Law Department and the Finance Department, he said.
�The Framework Agreement being drafted in the talks would need the nod of the State Law and Judicial departments, while the proposed expenses for rehabilitation package of the HPC(D) cadres once they come overground would also need approval of the Finance Department,� Lalbiakzama clarified.
The current talks between the State government and the Manipur-based Hmar outfit began on August 10 last year and had progressed steadily.
The HPC(D), which had been demanding a separate autonomous district council for the Hmar community comprising northeastern part of the State adjoining Manipur, recently abandoned its demand and agreed to hold talks on giving more power and autonomy to the Sinlung Hills Development Council, which was formed after the erstwhile underground HPC signed agreement with the State government in 1994. � PTI
