Below is an article published E-Pao:

Imphal, January 02 2013 : The Government of India's Interlocutor of the high profile ongoing political talks with the NSCN (IM), RS Pandey said it was difficult to say any "timeframe" for the "final settlement" to the extremely complex Naga political issue.

He was, however, optimistic that the solution to the issue would get through.

In an exclusive telephonic interview with Oken Jeet Sandham, Editor of North East Press Service, Wednesday from Delhi, the Center's Interlocutor was extremely cautious while sharing his views on the crucial "Center-NSCN(IM)" political dialogues.

"I can't say any timeframe for the settlement of the Naga political issue," he said while describing as "sensitive" the "issue." "Let us hope for the best with the dawning of the New Year," he said.

Pandey, formerly Chief Secretary of Nagaland of 1972 IAS Batch of Nagaland Cadre, said civil societies and the general public had already expressed that "they want settlement to the Naga political issue at the earliest." "And we are trying our best to see the issue is settled," he said.

The Interlocutor further expressed that in order to reach any settlement, both sides have to agree to.

"Even before any agreement is reached between the parties, they have to work out for various requirements," he pointed out. "So while doing so, one reason or another used to come up and we have to see to that" . "We are trying our best to see that the issue is settled," he said."Let us hope and pray that the process of settlement to the long drawn out Naga political issue is going through with the dawning of the New Year. Yet no timeframe can be set".