Imphal, March 23 -- Manipur chief minister Y Khemchand Singh on Sunday urged different communities to move beyond the ethnic strife that has roiled the state and rebuild trust, a day after holding the first meeting between the state government and the apex Kuki-Zo body since the conflict began three years ago. Singh thanked the Kuki Zo Council (KZC) for accepting the invitation for the talks, which were held in Guwahati, and described the meeting as the first step towards rebuilding trust among the warring groups. "We held the talks with the objective of bringing peace. My appeal to all is to restore peace and proceed with the concept of 'forgive and forget'. My approach is bringing peace and building trust. There was no demand or commitment," he said. He added that the government hopes to invite the KZC for the next round of talks, if necessary, in Imphal. "Any step towards restoring peace in Manipur cannot be achieved in a single meeting. It will take time to regain trust among the warring communities, and the trust deficit between the two communities has been reducing, which is a positive step towards reconciliation," he said. The meeting between state government representatives and the KZC delegation lasted for an hour and forty-five minutes. In a statement, the KZC described Saturday's engagement as an "ice-breaking meeting" and said: "Prominent among the issues raised were the urgent need to de-escalate the ongoing tensions between the Kuki and Tangkhul communities, and the imperative of ensuring justice for the victims of the conflict as a fundamental prerequisite for any meaningful peace and reconciliation process." Singh took the oath as Manipur chief minister on February 4, becoming the first person to helm the state since President's Rule was imposed in 2025 after two years of ethnic violence. Along with Singh, two deputy chief ministers from the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities also took oath following the withdrawal of President's Rule after nearly 12 months. Nearly 260 people have died and around 60,000 have been displaced in ethnic clashes in the state since 2023. The chief minister said the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs) returning to their homes featured in the talks with the KZC. "What is of utmost importance for their return is rebuilding trust between the two communities. How long can central forces continue guarding populations in some places?" he said. Responding queries on the demand for a separate administration from tribal groups, he said: "PM Modi has already announced that the territorial integrity of Manipur will remain intact." The KZC said it emphasised the importance of maintaining the sanctity of "buffer zones" until a political settlement is reached and stressed the need to expedite a resolution to the ongoing Suspension of Operations (SOO) talks....