The 68th round of peace talks between the Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah leadership, by all indications, are heading for a deadlock, as the both sides are rigid on the issues of sovereignty.
In his 30-minute-long speech soon after his arrival from Amsterdam on Saturday night, NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah reiterated that they would not accept anything less than sovereignty.
"We will not accept imposition of the Indian constitution. We honour your rights. You have to honour our history and our rights. If we respect each other, we will be able to solve the Naga political issue," Muivah said, addressing a crowd of over 1,500 Naga youths in his New Delhi transit camp in New Delhi.
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, on the other hand, reiterated the government stand that Naga issues would be resolved within the Constitutional framework of the country. In fact, he was very clear that the sovereignty of India 'cannot be negotiated.'
All these developments indicate that the 68th round of peace talks would be a non-starter.
While talking to rediff.com on Saturday, Muivah revealed that he has come to New Delhi responding to the invitation of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
"Dr Singh is a wise man. Although it is very late, even then we are ready to talk. We want to resolve all the issues, but with dignity. We hope, this time the Prime Minister will find out a solution by accepting our history. Otherwise, we will go ahead with our movement. Nobody can kill our spirit," he said.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed interlocutor, former petroleum secretary R S Pandey, has been busy in doing groundwork for the next round of talks scheduled for March 2 and March 3.
R S Pandey, a 1972 batch Indian Administrative Services officer, has also served as the chief secretary of Nagaland.
The main issue Pandey is going to review with the NSCN leadership is the progress on NSCN-IM's 20-point charter of demands that they had submitted on earlier occasions.
One contentious issue in this long list of demands is the incorporation of all Naga inhabited areas under one umbrella, and the issue of sovereignty, under which it has proposed a federal relationship with the Indian Union.
Muivah, meanwhile asked his followers to hope for the best, but at the same time prepare for the worst. Three of his colleagues, Kilonser (minister) in charge of information and publicity, Vikiye Sumi, two steering committee members Johny and Thongmeth Konyak attended the reception gathering.
