Shillong, Nov 24: Amid the border talks with Assam facing delays, the state government has reiterated its commitment to take steps to resume the second phase of the boundary talks with the neighbouring state.
“We are depending on the meeting of chief ministers of Meghalaya and Assam. They will sit down again and work out what is next ahead,” said deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong while reaffirming the government’s commitment to resolving the border issue.
Both chief minister Conrad K Sangma and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma were heavily preoccupied with Gambegre bypolls and Jharkhand assembly election respectively.
With the election results out on Saturday, the CM-level meeting on the border disputes to kick-start the second phase of boundary talks is expected to be held in near future.
The second phase of discussions will address six sensitive areas of difference – Langpih, Borduar, Deshdoomreah, Block I-II, Psiar-Khanduli, and Nongwah-Mawtamur. These regions involve more intricate and historic concerns compared to the first phase of talks.
Meanwhile, coalition partners of Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government, including the BJP and the HSPDP have expressed their support for restarting the talks at the earliest.
Cabinet minister and senior BJP leader AL Hek acknowledged that stakeholders are eager to see progress but emphasized that the government is actively working toward a solution.
“The process is ongoing, and we trust the leadership of both chief ministers to navigate the complexities of the issue,” he said.
Chief minister Conrad K Sangma also recently highlighted the importance of a cautious and thorough approach, stating that these areas require careful deliberation to ensure a fair and lasting settlement.
With a shared border of 885 km and a history of collaboration in resolving disputes, the governments of Assam and Meghalaya are confident of making steady progress, an official statement said.
