Sarma, Rio hold talks with NSCN (I-M)

September 22, 2021 54 Views No Comment

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, SEP 22 (NPN) :
SARMA SAYS SHAH KEEN FOR EARLY NAGA POLITICAL SOLUTION

Signalling urgency in getting all stakeholders on board for early agreement to the Naga political issue, Assam chief minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma and Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio held a closed-door meeting with the NSCN (I-M) leadership headed by ato kilonser and chief negotiator Th. Muivah at Police complex, Chümoukedima Tuesday.

Media persons were not allowed inside the police guest house where the closed-door meeting went on for nearly over an hour.

Later after the meeting, Rio and Sarma headed straight for Niathu Resort where they held another closed-door meeting with A.K. Mishra, former special director of the Intelligence Bureau, who was detailed by the Centre to reconnect NSCN (I-M).

Talking to media persons at Niathu Resort, Rio described the meeting with the NSCN (I-M) as “very positive”. Rio said his Assam counterpart Sarma, conveyed to the NSCN (I-M) leadership, the message of Union Home minister Amit Shah, that solution should be arrived at the earliest and that the Centre was open for discussion to move forward. With talks now on the right track with “full of positivity”, Rio said it was decided during the meeting to shift the talks to Delhi.

On Mishra being assigned to get NSCN (I-M) back on track, Rio said that the Centre had responded to Th. Muivah’s letter, dated February 2020 and June 2021, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accordingly Mishra was authorized to resume the talks.

In the reply to Muivah, written by the union home secretary, Rio said it was mentioned that Prime Minister Modi conveyed his seriousness in resolving the Naga political issue so that peace, economic activities and development can take place in Nagaland.

It may be recalled that, in his eight-paged letter dated February 25, 2020 and against the backdrop of deadlock in signing a final agreement with the government of India, Muivah had demanded that the talks resume at the highest level, i.e. Prime Minister level; without pre-condition; and outside India in a third country.

Further, in the letter Muivah stated that “if our stay in India is no more welcome, all necessary arrangement must be made for us to leave India and the political talks be resumed in a third country”.

Muivah’s letter also has significance in the light of the contentious issue of Naga flag and constitution, which NSCN (I-M) insisted, should be part of the agreement. No further details were made known about what was discussed at the meeting between the two CMs and NSCN (I-M).

The meeting comes a day after Sarma’s purported deliberations with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Monday night.

Taking to twitter, Sarma said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home minister were committed to ensure ever-lasting peace in the North East.

“We are all keen that the ongoing Peace Talks fructify into concrete results soon,” he said. Sarma further informed that he had also discussed the political scenario in Nagaland with Rio and also with regard to the upcoming Nagaland Assembly elections, and NEDA’s role in it.

Sarma meets UDA legislators

Earlier in the day, Himanta Biswa Sarma upon arrival at Dimapur headed straight to the private residence of Rio at Sovima where a meeting was held with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) members. BJP legislators led by deputy chief minister Y. Patton and State BJP president and minister Temjen Imna, Along, advisor Mmhonlumo Kikon, Imkong L. Imchen and Chotisuh Sazo from the NPF and minister Katio Aye of NDPP were among those present.

Earlier, prior to leaving for Dimapur, Sarma told journalists in Guwahati that it was a “routine” visit, being undertaken for a “political reason”. “…There is nothing new. My visit is political. I am going there for a political reason,” he had said. He also disclosed that he had met the NSCN (I-M) leadership informally three-four times in Delhi.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/sarma-rio-hold-talks-with-nscn-i-m/240816.html