KOHIMA: The governments of Nagaland and Assam are ready for an out-of-court settlement of the long-pending inter-state boundary dispute between the two northeastern neighbours, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said here on Monday.
Rio said that Nagaland and Assam delegations are likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in February to discuss and formulate how to go about the settlement.
The Nagaland Assembly's select committee to examine the border issue held an hour-and-a-half closed-door meeting, a day after Rio, his deputy Y Patton and NPF legislature party leader TR Zeilang met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Guwahati on Sunday.
"We had gone to Guwahati and had fruitful discussions on the border issue with Sarma. Nagaland and Assam had jointly taken up the matter with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 23, 2020. Both the state governments are in favour of an out-of-court settlement, and maybe our teams will meet Shah in the first part of February to discuss and formulate how to go about it," Rio told reporters here.
The issue of royalty on petroleum and natural gas along the Assam-Nagaland border was also discussed. "If we resolve the border dispute and the issue of royalty, it will be good for both sides as we are going to remain neighbours," Rio added.