NSCN-Centre talks tomorrow in Nagaland

For the first time in the 13-year-old history of the Naga dialogue process, talks will be held in the state on Tuesday, between the Centre's interlocutor and leaders of Nagaland Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah.

So far, over 60 rounds of talks were held in New Delhi and abroad but no breakthrough could be achieved to end the protracted Naga political conflict. Centre's interlocutor R S Pandey arrived in Kohima on Monday to hold parleys with NSCN-IM leaders, official sources said.

The talks the first of its kind in Nagaland on the issue would be held against the backdrop of prevailing situation arising out of Manipur government's opposition to the proposed visit of NSCN-IM general secretary T Muivah to Ukhrul. Muivah is camping in Viswema village near Nagaland-Manipur border since May 5 en-route to his native village Somdal.

This third round of talks after appointment of Pandey as the interlocutor in January, is likely to take up substantive issues on the basis of an earlier set of proposals submitted by NSCN-IM to the Centre. The NSCN-IM had earlier proposed to centre to hold next round of peace talks "in Naga soils" and the latter agreed to the request, sources in the group said.

The NSCN-IM is demanding creation of a 'Greater Nagaland' joining parts of three neighbouring states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to unite 1.2 million Nagas. The demand is opposed by the three states.