‘Busy’ CMs delay border talks

SHILLONG: State Home Minister James Sangma on Thursday attributed the delay in the chief ministerial level talks between Meghalaya and Assam on the vexed boundary dispute to the duo’s packed schedule.
He told reporters that the two chief ministers have not been able to meet because of “clashing engagements” but that both are looking for a mutually agreeable date to meet and discuss the issue.
Earlier reports had indicated the talks would be held this month.
“We will have a meeting as soon as possible and we are serious about resolving the issue,” he said.
Admitting that both the chief ministers have not been able to meet for long, he, however, said that the Meghalaya chief minister is keen to meet his counterpart as soon as possible.
Recently, Assam had withdrawn its forces from Psiar in West Jaintia Hills where it was planning to construct a police outpost after the matter was taken up by the Meghalaya chief minister with his counterpart.
It may be mentioned that there are as many as 12 areas of difference between both the states and while the political parties in Meghalaya keep on making the issue an agenda in any election, the solution to the vexed issue has not been found since the time Meghalaya was carved out of Assam.