A crucial meeting between militant outfit NSCN-IM and the government's interlocutor is likely to be held next week to give fresh impetus to the ongoing Naga peace process.

A delegation of NSCN-IM led by its general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah would hold parleys with new interlocutor R S Pandey to iron out differences on several vexed issues including integration of Naga-inhabited areas, official sources said.

The meeting will review the proposal given by the rebels to bring a lasting solution to the six-decade old Naga insurgency and the counter proposal given by the Central government.

NSCN-IM has proposed a federal relationship with the Indian Union with additional financial and legislative powers to handle while the Central government offered financial package for socio-cultural development of Naga people.

In the last round of talks in March, both sides resolved to their commitment to work out an honourable and negotiated solution to the problem.

"There is seriousness on both sides to continue dialogue on sustained basis," a home ministry official said.

Among other issues in the charter demand, the NSCN-IM pointed out certain taxation matters and preservation of cultural heritage, the sources said.

Muivah, who along with four other Naga leaders, arrived here on February 27 from Amsterdam. After the talks in March, he had gone to Nagaland and met NSCN-IM cadres, civil society members, NGOs and church leaders to discuss the issue.

Pandey also undertook a visit to the north eastern states last week and met political leaders and other stake holders to get feedback from them.

A ceasefire was agreed on with NSCN-IM in August 1997.

In May 1998, the union government had appointed Swaraj Kaushal as the first negotiator. He continued in his post till July 1999. After him, former home secretary K Padmanabhaiah took charge and continued till last year.

Pandey, a former petroleum secretary and a 1972 batch Nagaland cadre IAS officer was appointed as a new interlocutor on February 11.