Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Wednesday announced that the second phase of border talks for resolving the remaining six areas of difference will start in June-July. The Assam Chief Minister said this on the sidelines of a passing out parade at NEPA, Umiam in Meghalaya today.
“We hope to start discussion for the other six (areas of difference) also sometime around June and July,” Sarma told reporters.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Meghalaya and Assam to end the dispute in 6 of the 12 areas of difference.
He said that now the Survey of India has already started working on the six areas which have been resolved between the two states. “According to our MoU they (Survey of India) will put border pillars and thereafter the entire agreement will be formalized,” Sarma said.
Also read: Meghalaya and Assam sign agreement to officially resolve border dispute
On the opposition’s demand to revisit the border agreement, the Assam chief minister however said the two states should not reopen the issue.
On the other hand, Sarma admitted that the second phase of border talks will be very tough.
“That second phase is the most complicated and most congested area as it has Langpih, Block I & II,” he said.
Stating that goodwill has been created between Assam and Meghalaya, Sarma said, “Now at least both the governments and citizens of Assam and Meghalaya are not talking in terms of conflict. They are talking in terms of resolution of conflict. So banking on whatever we have in the first phase will start a dialogue for the second phase and I have confidence that at some point of time we will have resolution on the six also but how and when it will end it is difficult to predict right now,” the Assam CM concluded.
NNN