GUWAHATI, May 7 � A settled boundary is an essential pre-requisite for effective cross-border cooperation and once the boundary with Bangladesh is permanently settled, there will be no difference of interpretation, regardless of the government in power. This was the observation of the Government of India on the land swap deal with Bangladesh.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has prepared a detailed report on the land swap deal and its implications and said that after a permanent settlement of the border, India and Bangladesh would be able to focus on mutual cooperation in areas like security, trade, transit and development.
The report gave a background of the events leading to the deal and said that the disputes remained unsolved in the previous agreements. The disputes had been there since the division of the country and though agreements were signed in 1958 and 1974, some issues remained unsettled, which included un-demarcated boundary of around six kilometres and exchange of enclaves and adverse possessions.
Describing the land swap deal as a �historic one�, the MEA report said it paved the way for a permanent settlement of all the outstanding land boundary issues and would contribute to a peaceful and stable international border. It will also strengthen the ability of India to deal with problems like smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities and crimes.
The report revealed that before finalising the land border protocol signed in 2011, various issues like ground situation, wishes of the people living in the areas involved etc., were taken into consideration, while the protocol had full support of the state governments concerned. An elaborate process of consultation was carried out with the people residing in the areas involved and a joint delegation of both the countries visited the areas for an on-the-spot survey.
The MEA said during the survey, it was found that the people living in the areas involved did not want to leave their land. Rather, they are ready to live in the country where they have been living all their lives. That is why, while finalising the deal, efforts have been made to ensure that there is no large-scale displacement of the people.
GUWAHATI, May 7 � A settled boundary is an essential pre-requisite for effective cross-border cooperation and once the boundary with Bangladesh is permanently settled, there will be no difference of interpretation, regardless of the government in power. This was the observation of the Government of India on the land swap deal with Bangladesh.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has prepared a detailed report on the land swap deal and its implications and said that after a permanent settlement of the border, India and Bangladesh would be able to focus on mutual cooperation in areas like security, trade, transit and development.
The report gave a background of the events leading to the deal and said that the disputes remained unsolved in the previous agreements. The disputes had been there since the division of the country and though agreements were signed in 1958 and 1974, some issues remained unsettled, which included un-demarcated boundary of around six kilometres and exchange of enclaves and adverse possessions.
Describing the land swap deal as a �historic one�, the MEA report said it paved the way for a permanent settlement of all the outstanding land boundary issues and would contribute to a peaceful and stable international border. It will also strengthen the ability of India to deal with problems like smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities and crimes.
The report revealed that before finalising the land border protocol signed in 2011, various issues like ground situation, wishes of the people living in the areas involved etc., were taken into consideration, while the protocol had full support of the state governments concerned. An elaborate process of consultation was carried out with the people residing in the areas involved and a joint delegation of both the countries visited the areas for an on-the-spot survey.
The MEA said during the survey, it was found that the people living in the areas involved did not want to leave their land. Rather, they are ready to live in the country where they have been living all their lives. That is why, while finalising the deal, efforts have been made to ensure that there is no large-scale displacement of the people.
