DIMAPUR/DELHI, March 24 � The Government of India and the NSCN-IM have had over 40 rounds of talks in the past few months.
Sources close to NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Th Muivah informed NNN that both the parties are holding talks five days a week after the format of the talks was changed late last year. �Both the parties are working very hard to hasten up the talks and we are hopeful of reaching an agreement soon,� the source confided. The source also revealed that the Prime Minister Office (PMO) is also actively involved in the talks by way of updating things every time the NSCN-IM leaders and the government representatives meet, which was not the case during the UPA government. On weekends the NSCN-IM leaders engage themselves with the Naga intellectuals and public leaders in connection with the ongoing marathon talks, added the source.
Mention may be made here that the format of the talks between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) �has been changed� with both sides agreeing to expedite the talks to find an amicable solution as soon as possible.
A decision was taken to do away with the practice of holding one or two rounds of formal talks in a year. Such a practice was going on for years without much progress in finding a solution.
It also said that several rounds of talks have already been held after the path-breaking first round. After this development, the government�s interlocutor and the leaders of the NSCN (I-M) are meeting more frequently and the ultimate aim is not to count the number of rounds of talks, but to find an amicable solution as soon as possible.
It can also be noted here that the NSCN-IM leaders also accepted the new format of talks without any reservation. The NSCN-IM leaders have been told that they can get in touch with the government�s interlocutor whenever they want to discuss any point. Similarly, the government�s interlocutor will also get in touch with the NSCN leaders whenever required to discuss any point, the report said. Now the talks will be more like �business meetings� with a definite purpose.
The government has already made its points clear to the leadership of the NSCN-IM and the limitations of the government have been mentioned in clear terms. On the other hand, the NSCN-IM leaders also expressed their limitations on certain issues. Those points are now being discussed in detail to find an amicable solution.