Guwahati, May 23: After much cajoling over the past two days, NSCN (I-M) leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Th. Muivah today met the Centre?s chief interlocutor, K. Padmanabhaiah, in Bangkok but indicated that this was the last time they were holding talks with a bureaucrat.
There was speculation that the latest round of talks ? originally slated for Wednesday ? would be no more than a stock-taking exercise by Padmanabhaiah and middle-ranking leaders of the NSCN (I-M). The top leadership of the outfit, however, consented to meet the former Union home secretary following meetings between him and other functionaries over the past two days.
A source in the NSCN (I-M) said over phone from the Thai capital that a ?formal meeting? finally began this afternoon and continued till late in the night.
The outfit?s Bangkok office, however, refused to say what Swu and Muivah discussed with the Centre?s emissary. An NSCN (I-M) functionary named Imcha said he had been authorised to confirm the meeting but not disclose anything more. ?As of now, I am not in a position to say in detail what they have discussed thus far,? he said.
Official sources said Padmanabhaiah made it clear as soon as the meeting began that Delhi was ready to replace him with a political leader if the NSCN (I-M) leadership agreed to again come to India for the next round of the dialogue.
The relationship between Padmanabhaiah and the NSCN (I-M) soured after he was quoted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh mouthpiece as saying that all members of the outfit would be disarmed before a formal accord is signed.
The sources said the chief interlocutor informed the outfit?s leadership during the first half of today?s meeting that the agenda for the next round of talks in India would be an open one.
This implies that contentious issues, including the NSCN (I-M)?s demand for integration of Naga-inhabited areas, would be discussed as and when the two sides meet again. During their last visit to New Delhi, the NSCN (I-M) leadership had taken exception to the Centre?s uncompromising stand on the integration issue.
NSCN (I-M) deputy kilo kilonser (home minister) V. Horam said his outfit had no objection to holding talks anywhere, provided all substantive issues were included in the agenda.
The recent raid by security forces on the outfit?s town command headquarters in Dimapur is expected to figure in the discussions between the Swu-Muivah duo and Padmanabhaiah. Horam said the talks could continue for a few more days if ?everything falls into place?.
The NSCN (I-M) had threatened to call off the peace process if security forces continued to raid its camps and bases. ?If they violate the ceasefire ground rules, we will not remain mute spectators,? it added.
A delegation of the outfit left Nagaland for Bangkok recently to apprise the ?collective leadership? about the developments on the home front. The delegation includes former commander-in-chief V.S. Atem, A.Z. Jami and kilo kilonser Lungalang.