Centre not in favour of 'Greater Nagaland'

Rebel Naga leaders, who met the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [ Images ], to discuss the issue of sovereignty of Nagaland were disappointed when the Centre gave its nod to autonomy, but said no to the demand for a 'Greater Nagaland.'

Sources within the government said the Centre has formalised a 'peace formula' to break the deadlock with the Naga rebels, who held a first round of talks with the government Toesday.

Naga leaders also called on Union Home Minister P Chidambaram [ Images ] to discuss the issue of autonomy.

According to sources, the government has a proposal to counter the Naga demands, which would include a Naga body without territorial jurisdiction, but with a constitutional sanction.

There are reports that the general secretary of National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah, Thuingaleng Muivah, was unhappy with the interlocutor R S Pandey, who led the discussions at the peace dialogue.

The banned NSCN-IM faction chairman Isak Chisi Swu along with its general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah arrived in New Delhi [ Images ] for talks with the central government in a bid to take the vexed Naga peace process forward.

Isak and Muivah, who are now based in Amsterdam, have come to India [ Images ] after nearly three years.

Muivah has set the tone for the talks by saying the rebel outfit will not withdraw its demand for a Greater Nagaland.

Union Home Secretary G K Pillai told mediapersons in Dimapur on Saturday, "Muivah accepted the invitation from the government of India communicated through the new interlocutor R S Pandey to resume the peace dialogue."

Ahead of meetings with political leadership, the Naga leaders will hold talks with Pandey on March 2 and 3, they said.

The two leaders were also expected to visit Nagaland besides addressing the issue of clashes between the cadres of NSCN-IM and its rival NSCN (Khaplang), which led to unrest in the recent past.

Government sources said they would try and iron out differences with the NSCN-IM, which has proposed a federal relationship with the Indian Union.