General Secretary Th. Muivah has denied claims made by Government of India Interlocutor Padmanabhiah that a deal is to be clinched during the next round of talks whereby the NSCN (IM) will be part of the Union of India and so within the constitution of India. That is not correct at all, Muivah said in an interview with Naga International Support Center (NISC), in Amsterdam today.





Alarmed by a televised interview in India, which was published by the Tribune, NISC questioned Muivah, now in the Netherlands, on the statements of Padmanabhiah.





To a query on whether Padmanabhiah has a different reading of what is discussed at the talks, Muivah replied that this cannot be. Because the talks were between two big delegations, ministers, interlocutor, secretarys etc. The only point we talked about in last talks, was the framework of the relationship put forward by the facilitators. We agreed to discuss that in the next round of talks. We did not talk on any other issues! If Mr. Padmanabhiah is talking besides this point his statements are baseless, Muivah said in the interview.





Asked to comment on Padmanabhiahs formulation as he was commissioned to talk on behalf of the Prime Minister, Muivah only replied that he could only say what has been talked about during the last talks.


The NISC on its part pointed out that it was not the first time Padmanabhiah had come up with his interpretations in public and described him as putting stumbling blocks in the talks.





While pointing out that Padmanabhiahs interpretation had to be thoroughly talked about before the talks on substantive issues can continue, the NISC stated that this required clarification as the talks are dealing with personalities not with substance. Yes I agree that is what he should do from his side, to clarify, Muivah said.





The NSCN (IM) General Secretary at the same time made it known that it was serious and sincere and will not distance themselves from taking on the issues and we always mean what we say.





Meanwhile, the NISC while pointing out that the talks are held at the highest level and the stakes are high, consequently questioned the Government of India too on this matter.





Considering the striking disparity in the perception of what has been talked about during the peace talks between K. Padmanabhiah, Emissary of the Prime Minister, and the negotiators of the NSCN (IM), NISC asks the Government of India to conclusively show what it has meant by going public this way: Did the Emissary show only his own perception of what was discussed in the peace talks, or did he speak on behalf of the Prime Minister of India?, the NISC wanted to know.