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Rio to meet NSCN(IM) leaders today
Nagaland CM, Neiphiu Rio says the visit by NSCN (IM) leaders Issac Chisi Swu and Th Muivah was a 'positive step' in the peace talks.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday said that the visit by NSCN (IM) leaders Issac Chisi Swu and Th Muivah to New Delhi was "another positive step" in the on-going Naga peace talks.
Rio, who will hold talks with the duo today in Delhi, will be the first chief minister from the state to meet the two top NSCN (IM) leaders.
Before leaving for the national capital, the Chief Minister told reporters at Dimapur he would on behalf of the state government and the people convey goodwill and support to them for their efforts to hammer out a solution to the vexed Naga issue. Rio said the visit of the NSCN (IM) top leadership to Delhi was "another positive step" in the on-going dialogue.
Lauding NSCN (IM)'s statement that Swu and Muivah wanted to meet cross sections of the people in Nagaland during their visit next week, he said "the situation is very conducive to meet the people in the state and I am meeting them (Issac and Muivah) in my capacity as a political leader."
The DAN government, since coming to power, had constituted a consultative committee on peace under the chairmanship of Rio to support the initiatives of Naga NGOs and civil society groups for peace and re-conciliation among the warring Naga underground factions and facilitate the on-going peace process.
Welcoming the statement of CWC member and Congress in-charge of north east, Ramesh Chennithala that the UPA government was committed to resolving the Naga problem, he asserted that the people cutting across party lines should support the Centre's endeavour for finding lasting peace in Nagaland.
NSCN (IM) leaders will meet Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and leaders of various political parties in the next few days in the Delhi. But the crucial phase of their official visit to India will begin when they hold consultative meetings after their arrival in the state next week.
