Framework agreement will lead to enduring relationship: Muivah

Asking the Nagas to "understand and appreciate" the difficulties of the Centre "if a solution has to be reached", the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) has exuded confidence that the framework agreement will lead to an enduring, inclusive and a new relationship.
Saying that the Government of India and NSCN-IM have agreed on 'sharing sovereign powers' on the basis of mutual co-existence, NSCN-IM General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah told a civic reception here at Dimapur airport yesterday that both sides will have to respect each other.
Exuding confidence of working out an early final solution based on the framework agreement, the NSCN-IM chief political negotiator was confident that the framework will lead to an enduring, inclusive and a new relationship -- relationship of peaceful co-existence of two entities, Nagas and Indians.

"The wishes of the people for sharing the sovereign power must be there (in the framework) and we both agreed. We have come up to that," Muivah said.
Recognising the Government of India's difficulties in accepting all the demands of Naga people, Muivah said Nagas must also have to understand and appreciate the difficulties of the Centre if a solution is to be reached.
He cautioned Nagas not to expect hundred per cent of the demands.

"Let us understand together that now it is a matter of negotiation, the Indians have realised and from our side also we have appreciated their difficulties. Since it is a matter of negotiation, Nagas cannot expect 100 out of 100, cent per cent is not possible. Indian government also cannot do that because it is give and take policy or principle," he said.

Therefore to what extent the Government of India will take positive steps towards the meeting point, it will be from our side also, he assured.
On the basis of the recognition officially made from the Indian side and basing on those points, solution have to be worked out, he said.