Newmai News Network
Shillong: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong today said the Government of India is still opening the door for talks with the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC).
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“Therefore, we are still inviting them (HNLC) on behalf of the Meghalaya state government to please not discontinue the peace talks,” Tynsong told reporters.
He also asked the HNLC to decide maturely saying, “Again, I also request you to resume the talks, the door is open. Think about it again, please be mature and think about the future.”
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Referring to a recent social media post by the HNLC as ‘drama’, Tynsong said, “As I have clarified earlier, I will again clarify if you (HNLC) are afraid – because they expressed senior most leaders including chairman or commander-in-chief may not be willing to come due to fear of getting arrested, that also we have given an assurance that we will give a safe passage and if you want to discuss at a location not in Meghalaya, that also we are open, we say they propose the location.
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But when I said this, it is not for them to write on social media that we are inviting Prestone for talks because that cannot be taken as official. Officially, it is not Prestone, who is inviting them. It is the Government of India and the state government which are inviting the talks with the HNLC.”
Tynsong confirmed that there has been no official communication received from the HNLC in regards to its decision to the government’s request for resumption of the talks.
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“I have nothing to say, I can’t talk on their behalf but from the government side, the door is still open. We keep requesting them for continuation of talks,” he stated.
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