New Delhi, January 7: Even as the leaders of insurgent group NSCN(I-M) arrive on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Vajpayee and Deputy PM L.K. Advani, the Government is not pinning hopes on a major breakthrough. The focus, apparently, is on building confidence between the two sides.
‘‘At this stage, the biggest concern of the Government is to conduct peaceful elections in Nagaland. This is the least it wants to ensure through parleys with NSCN(I-M) chairman Isak Chisi Swu and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah.
Though the talks are, no doubt, a major step towards resolving the decades-old Naga problem, an accord still seems distant,’’ a Home Ministry official said.
None of those involved with the talks were willing to comment about the agenda or the likely outcome. K. Padmanabhiah, the Centre’s interlocutor, too preferred to play it safe. ‘‘We are optimistic. The talks are a step in the right direction. Let’s see where we go from here,’’ was all he was willing to say.
According to sources, however, substantive talks with the insurgent leaders will take place only after the elections in Nagaland, when the situation is clearer.
‘‘We hope to involve the insurgent groups, including the NSCN(I-M), in the political process of the state. There may not be direct involvement in the forthcoming elections but some kind of support to candidates is expected,’’ the official added.
Both Swu and Muivah, who have been provided Indian travel documents, will be coming from Amsterdam. They will meet Vajpayee and Advani on Thursday. The talks are likely to last over two days followed by official-level parleys.
This will be the first visit to India by Swu and Muivah in the last 30 years for peace talks. While Muivah already possesses an Indian passport, Swu and three others had been issued passports. The meeting was expected in December but logistical problems delayed their arrival.
The Government had already acceded to the demand of the outfit by allowing the ban on it to lapse on November 26 last year and withdrawing cases against Muivah for an alleged plot to assasinate Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir.
Since the 1997 Centre-NSCN(I-M) ceasefire accord, Swu and Muivah have been holding negotiations with Padmanabhaiah and successive Intelligence Bureau chiefs, including present director K.P. Singh, in third countries like the Netherlands and Thailand.