The North-East Students' Organisation (NESO), the apex body of student bodies in the North-East, has said the people of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh want the territorial integrity of their States to be maintained when a permanent and honourable solution to the Naga rebel problem is found.

The three constituent organisations of NESO  the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) ? conveyed their views to the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) chairman, Isak Chisi Swu, and the general secretary, Thuingaleng Muivah, during an interaction between Naga militant leaders and a NESO delegation at the militant outfit's council headquarters at Hebron, about 40km from Dimapur in Nagaland.

NESO chairman, Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya, said the NSCN-IM leaders had said that they respected the sentiments of the people. The outfit was ready to extend cooperation and support to solve problems faced by the indigenous people in the region. The 20-member NESO delegation attended the meeting at the invitation of the Naga insurgent group. Mr. Bhattacharya said NSCN-IM leaders had apprised the NESO delegation about the progress of the peace negotiation between the outfit and the Centre.

The NESO, while describing the interaction with the NSCN-IM leaders as a "good gesture" of the Naga militant group, said the Centre should find a permanent and honourable solution to the five-decade-old Naga problem. The student body also urged the Centre to initiate a dialogue with the other militant outfits in the region to ensure permanent peace in the region.

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