BANGKOK, Dec 8 ? The second round of talks between NSCN (IM) leaders and the Indian Government ended inconclusively today with the two sides deciding to meet again tomorrow. ?There was no breakthrough in today?s talks between NSCN (IM) chief negotiator T Muivah and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee?s special envoy K Padmanabaiah, Naga sources told PTI.
The current obstacle in the progress of peace talks between the two sides is the reported remark by Vajpayee during his recent visit to Kohima on the integration of Naga areas. T Muivah, who is the General Secretary of NSCN-IM, has said that the alleged remark that ?integration of all the Naga areas is ruled out for lack of consensus of all parties as of now? has shut the doors against the Nagas.
The NSCN (IM) insisted that the remarks be clarified while Padmanabaiah on Saturday reiterated that ?nothing is ruled out - the issue is not ruled out.? NSCN-IM has maintained that the Nagas had no greater or smaller Nagaland. ?They have just the land that belongs to them. Their land was compact from time immemorial,? Muivah had said recently.
Muivah said the insistence on consensus of other peoples to determine the future of the Nagas was absolutely ?irrelevant?. He was aided at the meeting by NSCN (IM) Steering Committee Members Raising and A Puni besides Aten, Convenor of the Steering Committee and N Tuccu, Defence Minister in their ?government?. NSCN(IM) sources said the talks will again be hold tomorrow morning. Both Muivah and Padmanabhiah were not available for comments.