Arunachal, Assam hold talks to resolve inter-state boundary issues

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh and Assam on Monday held a Regional Committee meeting to discuss longstanding inter-State boundary issues between Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh and Tinsukia district of Assam.

The meeting was co-chaired by Arunachal Pradesh Regional Committee chairman and Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Ojing Tasing and his Assam counterpart, Minister and Tinsukia Regional Committee chairman Atul Bora. It was held at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Roing, Lower Dibang Valley district, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to an amicable and mutually acceptable resolution through dialogue and consensus.

Later, taking to X, Tasing said the deliberations focused on addressing outstanding boundary-related differences while safeguarding the legitimate rights, interests and aspirations of communities residing in the adjoining areas of the two states.

The discussions underscored the importance of constructive engagement, mutual understanding and consensus in resolving the longstanding boundary issues while ensuring that the interests of people on both sides were duly protected, he said.

Tasing said both sides emphasised that Arunachal Pradesh and Assam shared deep-rooted historical, cultural and social ties, and that boundary differences should not undermine the longstanding relationship of friendship and cooperation between the neighbouring states. The meeting reaffirmed the collective commitment of both states to maintaining goodwill, fostering mutual trust and pursuing a fair, equitable and mutually acceptable settlement of the boundary dispute, the minister said. The two states have been holding institutional-level discussions through Regional Committees as part of efforts to resolve their longstanding boundary differences.

The Namsai Declaration, signed by the chief ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022, aimed to reduce the number of disputed border villages from 123 to 86 and establish Regional Committees for joint verification and resolution.

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