The peace accord signed between the central government and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) will not affect the territorial integrity of bordering states, union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday."The people of Manipur need not to be apprehensive about the Naga accord... as the accord is just a framework agreement with no specified details and the details need not be announced until the final structure has been framed," Rijiju told journalists at Tulihal airport here in Manipur.
In a historic move, the central government and the NSCN-IM on Monday signed the Naga Peace Accord settling an almost 20-year-old peace negotiation process that started in 1997 after the group signed the ceasefire agreement.Stating that the peace accord will not affect the neighbouring states, Rijiju said the detailed framework of the agreement will be taken up considering the sentiments of the people of the neighbouring states."When you strife for peace, you also should be careful about all the stakeholders and their sentiments. Therefore, when a detailed structure of the framework has to be finalised, then the sentiments of the surrounding states cannot be bypassed," he said.On Tuesday, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said his government will not accept the peace accord if it alters the boundaries of Manipur.