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Centre, NSCN (IM) agree to extend cease-fire

The Centre and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isac-Muivah) Monday agreed to extend by a year the cease-fire in Nagaland from August 1 and move forward with the peace process to bring a lasting political solution to the Naga issue.

"It is felt that there is need for mutual trust. The Agreed Ground Rules shall be implemented during the current cease-fire period in letter and spirit," a home ministry spokesman told reporters in New Delhi.

The decision to extend the cease-fire came after former Union home secretary K Padmanabhaiah held talks on July 29 and 30 in Bangkok with NSCN (I-M) chairman Isac Swu. NSCN leader T Muivah is undergoing a prison term in Thailand for trying to enter with forged travel documents and later jumping bail.

At peace talks in Bangkok, the two sides "decided to further extend the cease-fire for a period of one year, with effect from August 1, 2000," the spokesman said.

The Centre and the NSCN (I-M) had for the first time agreed to a three-month ceasefire from August 1, 1997 to embark upon political-level discussions.

PTI

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