07/19/2011: "New push to GoI-NSCN talks morungexpress"

New push to GoI-NSCN talks
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(L-R) Chief Negotiator and General Secretary of NSCN/GPRN Thuingaleng Muivah signing the joint statement at New Delhi on Monday. Interlocutor and Government of India representative RS Pandey putting his signature to the joint statement at New Delhi on Monday.

DIMAPUR, JULY 18 (MExN): In a significant push to the decade long peace process and after countess round of political talks between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim Isak and Muivah group, a set of proposals for an honorable political settlement seems to have been negotiated upon although everything has not yet been mutually agreed upon or finalized.
Joint Statement announces set of proposals for an honorable political settlement
Negotiating teams of the Government of India (GoI) and the NSCN/GPRN met on Monday, July 18, 2011 at New Delhi. The GoI team was led by the GoI’s Representative and Interlocutor, Mr. R S Pandey and the NSCN team was led by its Chief Negotiator, General Secretary, Mr. Thuingaleng Muivah.
According to a joint statement issued today, it was stated that “sustained negotiations over the past few months have led to a set of proposals for an honourable political settlement based on the uniqueness of Naga history and situation which was recognized by the GoI in 2002, as well as the contemporary realities and a future vision consistent with the imperatives of the 21st century”. The Joint Statement signed by RS Pandey, Interlocutor, Representative of the Government of India and Th. Muivah, Chief Negotiator and General Secretary of the NSCN pointed out that “while the differences between the two parties have narrowed, some of the proposals would require further negotiations to reach a mutually acceptable solution”.
Also significant was the point made that both the parties are confident in working out a settlement in the shortest possible time “by appreciating and respecting each other’s positions and difficulties”.

Centre-NSCN talks enter final phase - Govt drops I-M suffix from outfit’s name, signals at win-win solution for entire N-E NISHIT DHOLABHAI The Telegraph

Th. Muivah
New Delhi, July 18: The government has dropped the 23-year-old suffix “I-M” from the name of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), signalling that the negotiations over the country’s oldest insurgency problem has entered its final phase.
The “differences have narrowed”, a joint statement signed by government of India representative and interlocutor, R.S. Pandey and NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, said, adding, “Some of the proposals would require further negotiations”.
While the demand for “secession” has already been dropped, the bone of contention has always been the demand for integration of all Naga-inhabited areas in the Northeast under a single administrative umbrella.
Manipur, which has a sizeable Naga population, has been steadfastly opposing hiving off of its areas for the sake of Naga integration in the past 10 years.
“No one has said that Manipur will be bifurcated,” said a senior official privy to the talks, indicating that an out-of-the-box arrangement for the (Naga-inhabited) hill districts of the state was in the pipeline.
Officials said almost everyone was hoping for a win-win solution that would make not only the Naga outfit but also rest of the country happy.
During the talks, government representative and interlocutor R.S. Pandey led the four-member central team, while the NSCN’s chief negotiator, its general secretary Muivah, led his team, which comprised around a dozen senior members. The joint statement was issued at the end of the hourlong talks.
Not only did the government desist from mentioning “I-M” in the statement — hence bestowing the credibility the outfit has been asking for long — the statement also just stopped short of setting a deadline.
“By appreciating and respecting each other’s position and difficulties, both parties are confident of working out a settlement in the shortest possible time,” the statement said.
Special emissary of the NSCN, V.S. Atem told The Telegraph, “The talks were positive and we now enter the most crucial phase of the negotiation.” He, however, said a deadline could not be set. The current understanding comes at a time when Naga insurgency is passing through a chaotic phase and with divisions and infighting ravaging NSCN (K) in recent times, the Centre, in all likelihood, decided to get closer to the NSCN (I-M).
Negotiations with NSCN (I-M) began in 1998 and have since gone through many ups and downs. Over the past year, five rounds of formal negotiations have taken place between the two sides, but officials believe it was the “informal rounds” that helped the most.
The statement also mentions that the solution will be based on “the uniqueness of Naga history and situation which was recognised by the government in 2002”, and adds that it would be based on “the contemporary realities” and a future vision, consistent with the imperatives of the 21st century.
Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim
Ministry of Information and Publicity

Press Rejoinder
19th July,2011

Whereas joint statement signed by NSCN Chief Negotiator Th.Muivah and India's Inlocutor RS.Pandey mentioned not a word on the Centre ruling out NSCN's demand for unification of Naga inhabited areas which touched the three states of Manipur,Assam and Arunachal Pradesh the PTI added that under the proposed deal the centre has ruled out the unification of Naga inhabited area, giving territorial gaurantee to the three states. This kind of misleading report is highly resented.

The fact that the centre had given official recognition to the uniqueness of Naga history and situation in 2002, and again being brought to the fore as part of the basis of the talks as testified by the Joint press statement gives enough indication that no such decision as reported by PTI has taken place in any manner whatsoever. PTI is advised to exercise caution by staying away from giving out reports that is highly motivated and prejudiced.

Issued by:
MIP/GPRN

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07/19/2011: "New push to GoI-NSCN talks morungexpress"