NEW DELHI, Dec 21— Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga is yet to begin the process of opening dialogue with the outlawed outfits of Assam including the ULFA and NDFB. The Chief Minister has been entrusted by the Central Government to initiative dialogue with the underground outfits in the North-east. Talking to this newspaper on the sidelines of the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here today, the Chief Minister said that he is yet to receive any feelers from ULFA or from any other outfits in Assam.
In this connection, he sought to play down his aborted Bangladesh visit saying that he wanted to visit the country to explore the possibility of opening border trade. Often stated purpose was also to work out an arrangement to bring back the mortal remains of Mizo National Front (MNF) cadres who were buried in Chittagong Hills Tracks. But the hidden agenda of his visit was to contact ULFA and NDFB leadership based in Bangladesh. However, Government of India fearing a diplomatic row with an already peeved Bangladesh advised him to abort his mission.
Bangladesh, which has so far been denying the existence of North-east based rebels in the country, would have been embarassed had the Mizoram Chief Minister held negotiations with ULFA and NDFB leadership right under its nose. The Chief Minister, meanwhile, asserted that he is so far involved in negotiations with NSCN (I-M) and Kuki National Front (KNF) and recently representatives of the outfit met Central Government officials. The Mizoram Chief Minister, who was to a large extent responsible for breaking the stalemate between the NSCN (I-M) and the Government of India had visited Bangkok on several occasions.