Imphal, January 21: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday assured an all-party delegation from Manipur that the boundaries of the state will not be affected in the wake of the ongoing peace talks between Centre and Nagaland.

The delegation leader and Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh told newsmen that this assurance was given when the team met Vajpayee to discuss the impact of the talks on the state.

Singh said Manipur also wanted a constitutional amendment for the maintenance of territorial integrity of the state.

"We welcome Centre's peace talks with Nagaland but the parleys should not be at the cost of territorial integrity of Manipur.

The state will not give a single inch of land as part of Centre's agreement with Nagas," he said.

The Constitution should be amended to the effect that the consent of the legislature of the State concerned be made mandatory "'in the formation of new state and alteration of areas, boundaries or name of existing states," the Chief Minister said.

In Article 371 of the Constitution a clause must be added stating, "Territorial integrity of Manipur as it existed on October 15, 1949 is inviolable", he said.

As the Centre-NSCN (I-M) peace talks resumed on Tuesday, Manipur upped the ante demanding a constitutional amendment to protect its territory even though Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee assured an all-party delegation from the state that its boundaries would not be affected in search for a solution to the vexed Naga problem.

Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh, who led the delegation, told newsmen later of the Prime Minister's assurance on the territorial integrity of Manipur while discussing a solution to the Naga issue with the NSCN(I-M) top leaders.

"We welcome the Centre's peace talks with Naga leaders but the parleys should not be at the cost of territorial integrity of Manipur.

The state will not give a single inch of land as part of the Centre's (possible) agreement with the Nagas," he said.

Singh said the delegation told the Prime Minister that Naga leaders in the name of peace were trying to "invade our land" and Manipur wanted a constitutional amendment for the maintenance of territorial integrity of the state.

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