International
Vajpayee meets Naga leaders
By Neena Vyas
OSAKA, DEC. 8. In search of a peaceful settlement of the Naga issue, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, had a meeting with the NSCN(IM) leaders, Mr. Isaac Swu and Mr. T Muivah, for half-an- hour here this afternoon.
Present at the meeting were the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, and the interlocutor for the Naga talks and former Home Secretary, Mr. K. Padmanabhaiah. It was stated that the two sides reiterated their commitment to a negotiated and peaceful settlement of the issue. Official sources were unwilling to say anything more, but it was clear that today's meeting was only part of the process that began several years ago. The effort for establishing peace in Nagaland and arriving at an effective political settlement.
The Naga Ceasefire Agreement signed earlier by the Government could not be fully implemented as it met with stiff resistance in Manipur and other States of the North-East. The other States objected to a clause in the agreement by which the ceasefire would have been applicable to territories outside Nagaland. This was seen as the start of a political process to create a ``greater Nagaland,'' comprising the Naga inhabited areas in other States.
Unfortunately, around the time of the announcement of the agreement, political instability in Manipur resulted in the Naga issue getting embroiled in a Manipur's politics of defections. Politics within the NDA - the Bharatiya Janata Party had tried to replace the Samata Party government in Manipur - also had played a role in eruption of violence. But now that President's Rule has been imposed in Manipur and elections are to take place, that unnecessary complication is out of the way.
The talks with the NSCN(IM) have always been shrouded in secrecy with the Government's interlocutor meeting Mr. Muivah and others in Bangkok and Paris.
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