KOHIMA, April 5: The Nagaland government is currently awaiting a response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding a proposed meeting with an all-party delegation to discuss the longstanding Naga Political Issue and ongoing concerns surrounding the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a public event, Rio shared that he had recently suggested during a state assembly session that an all-party team meet with Shah to convey the political sensitivities and implications of the Naga issue and the FMR policy, which allows border-area residents to move freely between India and Myanmar.

The Chief Minister noted that he had personally raised the matter with Shah during the recent North Eastern Council (NEC) meeting in Guwahati. “He [Shah] told me he would find a suitable time and call us. So we are waiting for that,” Rio said.

When asked whether the state government intends to continue engaging with Naga political groups, Rio confirmed that the dialogue is ongoing. “We have been meeting and putting forward our views since they signed the Framework Agreement and the Agreed Position,” he stated.

The Framework Agreement, signed in 2015 between the Centre and the NSCN (Isak-Muivah), and the Agreed Position, signed in 2017 with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC NNPGs), were major milestones in the peace process. However, a final resolution remains elusive, with several core issues still unresolved.

“They must be waiting for the outcome of the agreements they signed,” Rio added, expressing cautious optimism that a solution that is inclusive and acceptable to all parties can eventually be reached.

While declining to comment on the recent internal rift within the WC NNPGs following the impeachment of convenor Kitovi Zhimomi, Rio stressed the importance of unity among Naga groups. He reiterated the state government’s current stance of ‘equi-closeness,’ as opposed to its earlier policy of ‘equi-distance.’

“We’ve adopted a policy of equal closeness with all groups… That is a positive approach from our side, but the negotiations are ultimately up to them,” he said.

The peace process with Naga groups formally began in 1997 with a ceasefire agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM), followed by over 70 rounds of talks. The signing of the Framework Agreement in 2015 marked a key milestone. However, the NSCN (IM)’s persistent demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution has not been accepted by the Centre.

In an effort to broaden the dialogue, the Centre launched parallel negotiations with the WC NNPGs—a coalition of seven Naga groups—in 2017. While the WC NNPGs have shown more flexibility and expressed readiness to continue discussions on pending issues, the NSCN (IM) has maintained a hardline position, insisting on symbolic assurances as prerequisites for a final settlement.