Having agreed to the extension of the eight-year-old ceasefire by six months, the Centre and the NSCN(IM) have decided to hold talks on “substantive” issues.

The timing of the next round of talks would depend on the NSCN (IM), Union minister Oscar Fernandes, who led the government delegation at the four-day talks with NSCN(IM) leaders in Bangkok this week.

Mr Fernandes, however, refused to specify the issues to be discussed, including the Naga group’s key demand for unification of Naga-inhabited areas of the North-eastern states.

Sources in the Naga camp had said prior to the Bangkok talks that unless the Centre took “positive” steps on the Naga issue, the group saw no need to extend the ceasefire. According to them nine years was “too long a time” to take a decision.

They said they had conveyed to the Centre that the next extension would not take place if progress was not made in the dialogue. Mr Fernandes confirmed that the Nagas had conveyed their dissatisfaction over the slow progress of the peace process.

Source: The Financial Express