New Delhi: National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isak-Muivah (NSCN-I-M) general secretary T Muivah has for the first time agreed in writing to come to India to hold talks to further the Naga peace process, Prime Minister's special emissary K Padmanabhaiah said on July 14.

Padmanabhaiah, who held a dialogue with NCSN (I-M) chairman Isak Swu and Muivah in Amsterdam last week, said that the outfit's leaders have accepted the government's invitation to come to India.

Isak Swu and Muivah would come "after procedural aspects with regard to their visit have been taken care of", he said.

Replying to questions, Padmanabhaiah said the next round of talks could take place in six weeks time but declined to state whether they would be held in India.

A joint statement issued after the three-day parleys in Amsterdam on July 11 said the government recognised "the uniqueness of the history and situation of the Nagas", according to Padmanabhaiah.

The special emissary said both sides agreed to further extend the ceasefire for one more year from August 1. The ceasefire had come into force in 1997.

The Nagaland government recently withdrew certain criminal cases against Muivah, including an attempt on the life of Chief Minister S C Jamir in which two policemen were killed two years ago.

PTI