Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio said on Friday that certain symbolic issues had emerged as ‘stumbling blocks’ for a resolution to the decades old vexed Naga political issue.
Interacting with media outside his office at the Secretariat in Kohima on Friday, Rio claimed that all ‘contentious matters’ regarding the Naga political issue have been resolved.
Rio pointed out that on contentious issue like integration of all Naga-inhabited areas, the Central Government had already conceded that the Nagas had a legitimate right to be integrated, but physically it was not possible now and it had to go through a democratic process.
On NSCN (K), Rio said that since majority of its cadres were from Myanmar, they could opt for a separate settlement in Myanmar.
In the case of Nagas of India, divided into four states, Rio was of the opinion that the inhabitants of the four states should come together.
Refusing on the exact details of the framework agreement, Rio said that the elected government will not stand in the way of the agreement whenever it is finalized between Naga groups and the Union Government.
However, he refused to fix any deadline for completion of peace talks.
On being asked about the possibility of partial removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the State, Rio said that it can only be done once the peace talks are over.
