SHILLONG. Aug 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday said official level discussion with the Centre was held twice after the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council sent a letter expressing their willingness to hold peace talks.
But the talks remained inconclusive with the HNLC not submitting another letter without conditions as sought by the Centre, he said.
“We received the letter on January 16 and discussed it twice with the Centre,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the Centre found some of the conditions set by the banned militant outfit unacceptable and sought another letter without any preconditions.
The unwanted conditions included discussion on the instrument of accession.
“After this was communicated to them, we were told that they would submit another letter removing all the conditions and agreeing to talk within the constitutional framework and shun violence,” Sangma said.
“We were informed the (revised) letter would come but it never did while incidents started taking place in Jaintia Hills. Therefore, it was not very clear what their intentions at that point in time were,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the state government’s stand on talks was clear.
“We have maintained from day one that we want peace and are open to talks with any organisation provided the discussions are within the constitutional framework of the country,” the Chief Minister said.
Stressing that the outfit must shun violence, he said they cannot come for talks with conditions attached. “We can discuss many things but setting conditions before you come for talks is not acceptable,” he added.
