The visit of the National Socialist Movement of Nagalim -- Isak/Muivah leaders, who were expected to land in Delhi this weekend for crucial peace talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has been postponed by about ten days because of "logistical reasons", official sources said on Tuesday.
NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah "are expected towards the end of the first week of January," sources said.
Asked as what were the logistical reasons, the sources said that among them were availability of the top Indian leaders for the talks, besides Swu and Muivah getting their travel documents and air tickets.
They said the two Naga leaders, who would be coming from Europe, would be given Indian travel documents. This would be their first visit to India in the last 30 years for negotiations to resolve the decades old Naga insurgency problem.
While the NSCN-IM general secretary Muivah, who already possesses an Indian passport, is expected to arrive from The Hague, the outfit's chairman Swu and three others have been issued passports by the Indian mission in Oslo and will arrive from the Norwegian capital, the sources said.
Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani will also attend the crucial meeting between the Naga delegation and Vajpayee.
"Even though no accord is likely to be reached at the parleys, the talks with the highest Indian leadership are expected to provide a major boost to bring peace in Nagaland affected by decades of insurgency," the sources said.
The government has already acceded to the demand of the 3000-strong insurgent outfit by allowing the ban on it to lapse beyond November 26 and withdrawing cases against Muivah for an alleged plot to assassinate Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir.
Since 1997 Centre-NSCN-IM ceasefire accord, Swu and Muivah have been holding peace negotiations with Centre's interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah and successive intelligence bureau chiefs, including present Director K P Singh in third countries like the Netherlands and Thailand.
