Zoramthanga meets Gogoi on border issue

Aizawl, Jul 11: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga had an hour-long meeting with his Asom counterpart Tarun Gogoi on the boundary dispute between the two states, official sources today said.

The meeting took place at Mr Gogoi's residence in Guwahati.

According to sources, Mr Zoramthanga expressed his regret over the occasional skirmishes in the border areas.

Both the chief ministers agreed that there is a difference in the interpretation of the Assam-Mizoram boundary.

They felt that it is a sensitive issue and should be dealt with meticulously.

The two chief ministers also agreed to take immediate preventive steps to resolve tension in the border areas and coordination at the official level in this regard.

The ''positive move'' on part of the Mizoram Chief Minister was in line with his promise to the Mizo Zirlai Pawl, the state's apex students' body, who had urged him to initiate a Chief Minister level talk on the ''long-standing boundary dispute.'' Earlier, Mr Zoramthanga seemed to avoid meeting Asom Chief Minister on the boundary issue despite pressure from political parties and even his former MNF comrades.

He had insisted that the boundary issue should be discussed only at the Parliamentary level.

UNI