NEW DELHI, April 18 � Aiming at an honourable solution to the vexed Naga issue, militant group NSCN-IM and government�s new interlocutor have held a key round of negotiations which have been described as �very positive�.
A delegation of NSCN-IM led by its general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah held parleys with the new interlocutor R S Pandey last evening to iron out differences on several crucial issues including integration of Naga inhabited areas.
�The meeting was very good, very positive. We have engaged in discussion to sort out our differences,� Pandey told PTI.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of Muivah�s visit to Nagaland where he had held consultations with civil society, political leaders and NGOs and also Pandey�s tour to the state to get feedback from ground level.
The Nagaland Assembly too had adopted a resolution hailing the Centre�s move to give fresh impetus to the Naga talks by appointing an �appropriate interlocutor�.
�We are trying to find out an honourable solution acceptable to both sides. This time there is a sense of urgency. The positive thing is that there is a right spirit, the spirit of understanding,� Pandey, a 1972-batch Nagaland cadre IAS officer, said.
NSCN-IM has proposed a federal relationship with the Indian Union with additional financial and legislative powers to handle while the Central government offered financial package for socio-cultural development of Naga people, sources said.
Among the issues in the charter of demands which was presented to the Centre by the rebels, the NSCN-IM pointed out certain taxation matters and preservation of cultural heritage, the sources said.
Muivah, who along with four other Naga leaders, arrived here on February 27 from Amsterdam held a round of talks with Pandey earlier.
�We will meet again soon to discuss informally and narrow down our differences before the next round of talks,� Pandey said.
NEW DELHI, April 18 � Aiming at an honourable solution to the vexed Naga issue, militant group NSCN-IM and government�s new interlocutor have held a key round of negotiations which have been described as �very positive�.
A delegation of NSCN-IM led by its general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah held parleys with the new interlocutor R S Pandey last evening to iron out differences on several crucial issues including integration of Naga inhabited areas.
�The meeting was very good, very positive. We have engaged in discussion to sort out our differences,� Pandey told PTI.
The meeting was held in the backdrop of Muivah�s visit to Nagaland where he had held consultations with civil society, political leaders and NGOs and also Pandey�s tour to the state to get feedback from ground level.
The Nagaland Assembly too had adopted a resolution hailing the Centre�s move to give fresh impetus to the Naga talks by appointing an �appropriate interlocutor�.
�We are trying to find out an honourable solution acceptable to both sides. This time there is a sense of urgency. The positive thing is that there is a right spirit, the spirit of understanding,� Pandey, a 1972-batch Nagaland cadre IAS officer, said.
NSCN-IM has proposed a federal relationship with the Indian Union with additional financial and legislative powers to handle while the Central government offered financial package for socio-cultural development of Naga people, sources said.
Among the issues in the charter of demands which was presented to the Centre by the rebels, the NSCN-IM pointed out certain taxation matters and preservation of cultural heritage, the sources said.
Muivah, who along with four other Naga leaders, arrived here on February 27 from Amsterdam held a round of talks with Pandey earlier.
�We will meet again soon to discuss informally and narrow down our differences before the next round of talks,� Pandey said.
