Dimapur, Sept. 24 -- The NSCN-IM has welcomed the Government of India's appointment of retired IPS officer and former Joint Intelligence Committee chairman Ajit Lal as the new interlocutor for the Indo-Naga political talks.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the NSCN-IM described Lal's appointment as a "significant and encouraging development", saying it reflected the Centre's renewed resolve to advance the peace process with seriousness and urgency.

The organisation also welcomed the inclusion of a Union minister or a group of Union-level ministers in the negotiation framework, saying the move would help "expedite the political process" and build momentum towards what it described as an "honourable and enduring political settlement". ...