4th round of CM level talks to solve Assam-Mizoram border issue to be held soon

Assam government has intimated its proposal to hold the fourth round of Chief Minister-level talks to solve the interstate border dispute in Aizawl soon, a senior official of Mizoram Home Department said today.

The Mizoram government will soon give a response to Assam’s proposal after consultation at a higher level, said the official.

He said that the Assam government has suggested that modalities for solving the long-standing border row should be worked out and a regional committee representing both the states constituted during the proposed negotiations.

“We feel that it will be better to have detailed discussions at the official level before another round of negotiations at the minister level as we have already submitted details of our claims to the Assam government,” the official added.

Before holding official negotiations between the Chief Ministers of the two states, he suggested that the problem’s finer details be addressed at the official level.

Earlier, Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana said that the state government claimed 62 villages along the border with Assam, which are also claimed by Assam in the interstate boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states.

Negotiations to find a lasting and amicable solution to the vexed interstate boundary between Mizoram and Assam had been going at a snail’s pace for years, which was sped up after a confrontation between the police personnel of the two states on July 26, 2022.

After a series of official-level talks, the first minister-level talks on the border dispute were held on August 5, 2021, and again on August 9, 2022, in Aizawl.

The third round of talks between the Mizoram delegation led by Lalchamliana and the Assam delegation led by border protection and development minister Atul Bora was held in Guwahati in November last year, after which the Mizoram state government submitted information and proposals to the Assam government during February.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma also held two rounds of talks in Delhi in 2021 and last year on the same issue.