Govt. wishes "an honourable negotiated settlement" from talks with NSCN (IM) team

New Delhi, March 2 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday said that it is his earnest desire that the talks being held with the visiting team of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) should lead to an honourable negotiated settlement.

Presenting the Ministry of Home Affairs' monthly report card for February today in the national capital, Chidambaram said: "A team of the NSCN (IM) led by Thuingaleng Muivah, General Secretary, has arrived in New Delhi to hold talks with the Government of India. We have appointed R.S. Pandey, IAS (Retd.) as the Interlocutor of the Government of India for the Naga peace talks. It is my earnest desire that the talks will lead to an honourable negotiated settlement."

Rebel Naga leaders, who are seeking sovereignty for a 'Greater Nagaland' met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Tuesday.

As per reports the issue of sovereignty was not discussed in the meeting today.

The banned National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) - Isak Muivah faction chairman Isak Chisi Swu along with its General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah arrived here for talks with the Central Government in a bid to take the vexed Naga peace process forward.

Isak and Muivah will hold talks with the Government's newly appointed man R. S. Pandey.

Pandey has replaced former Home Secretary K. Padmanabhaiah, who held talks with the Naga insurgent leadership for over nine years.

Isak and Muivah, who are now based in Amsterdam, have come to India after nearly three years.

Muivah has set the tone for the talks by saying the rebel outfit will not withdraw its demand for sovereignty for a Greater Nagaland.

Chidambaram, while talking about Assam, informed that over 400 Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) cadres laid down arms in February.

"In Assam, 412 cadres of Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) laid down arms on February 11, 2010. They deposited 162 weapons, ammunition and explosives," Chidambaram said.

He also informed that the Regional Coordination Mechanism to facilitate 24x7 sharing and follow-up of information among the North Eastern States has become operational. "After all the nodes of the SMACs in the North-East are networked, connectivity would be provided to 40 most sensitive districts in that region."

Besides, Chidambaram also informed on February 5, a notification has been made under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 extending the declaration of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as an 'unlawful association'.(ANI)