Somewhere in the Garo Hills, Dec. 10: The banned Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) wants former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma as a facilitator in its peace talks with Delhi. In a recent exclusive interview to The Telegraph, ANVC general secretary Wanding Marak said the outfit had ?resolved to include Sangma in the peace talks?.

The ANVC, which talked of peace after a hiatus in the negotiation process following the killing of eight of its cadres by Meghalaya police, has been demanding a separate Garo state.

However, Garo leader Purno A. Sangma believes a separate state for the...

Aizawl, Dec. 9: The Independent candidate who won the election in Mizoram?s Suangpuilawn constituency has promised to resign immediately after being sworn in as a legislator to pave the way for a ?free and fair bypoll?. H. Lalsangzuala, who was declared the winner of the seat yesterday, made the commitment this morning in an agreement with the Hmar People?s Convention, which had backed him, and the Central Young Mizo Association. He agreed with the two organisations that the election in Suangpuilawn had not been free and fair.

Sources said Lalsangzuala prepared the draft of his resignation...

BANGKOK, Dec 9 ? After three rounds of talks with the Centre?s pointman K Padmanabaiah here, Naga rebel group NSCN(IM) today said that ?integration of Naga areas? is a non-negotiable issue even as the two sides agreed in to meet in New Delhi in the near future to ?maintain the pace? of negotiations, reports PTI.

In a joint statement issued at the end of the parleys which began on Saturday, they said they held ?serious discussions on all substantive issues?. ?Both parties are pleased with the progress that was made on a number of important issues,? said the statement signed by T Muivah, NSCN...

Bokakhat, Dec. 8: Kaziranga National Park will have a great deal more on offer for tourists than just the one-horned rhinoceros from the next season. Bokakhat subdivisional officer D.K. Nath told a group of visiting newsmen that tourists would get a unique flavour of Assam when they visit the national park in the next season.

The official said a new botanical garden, adjacent to the tourist lodges at Kohora, will have a natural waterfall, a variety of trees and flowers having medicinal value, and a children?s park. Work on these has started and is likely to be completely next year. ?The...

BANGKOK, Dec 8 ? The second round of talks between NSCN (IM) leaders and the Indian Government ended inconclusively today with the two sides deciding to meet again tomorrow. ?There was no breakthrough in today?s talks between NSCN (IM) chief negotiator T Muivah and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee?s special envoy K Padmanabaiah, Naga sources told PTI.

The current obstacle in the progress of peace talks between the two sides is the reported remark by Vajpayee during his recent visit to Kohima on the integration of Naga areas. T Muivah, who is the General Secretary of NSCN-IM, has said that...