DIMAPUR, August 30 (NNN): The tripartite talks on `Alternative Arrangement` involving the United Naga Council (UNC), the government of India and Manipur government is likely to be upgraded to a political level in the next round of talks.
The 6th round of talks on the issue was held today ending in a `positive note`, according to the UNC.
Today’s talk was held at Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi from 6:30 pm and dragged on for little more than an hour, sources from UNC said.
Eight members represented the UNC in today’s talk.
From the government of India side, Special Secretary of Internal Security (Ministry of Home Affairs), S Jayaraman, Joint Secretary incharge of North East Sambhu Singh and others represented while from the Manipur government side, state chief secretary PC Lawmkunga, Principal Secretary (Home) Suresh Babu and others represented.
Talking to Newmai News Network over phone, UNC president L Adani expressed that the Naga delegation was not disappointed regarding today`s talks as they managed to convince the government of India representatives to upgrade the ongoing tripartite talks to the political level.
Bureaucrats both from the government of India and from the Manipur government have been representing the tripartite talks on the Alternative Arrangement right from the start.
When asked whether the Manipur government representatives agreed to upgrade the talks to political level, L Adani said the former did not give their commitment in this regard in today`s talks. “However, the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) have told us that they will persuade the Manipur government to upgrade the tripartite talks to the political level,” Adani conveyed.
The UNC president said the government of Manipur has been opposing to upgrade the tripartite talks on Alternative Arrangement to the political level right from the first round of talks a couple of years ago.