Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said the 54-year-old Meghalaya-Assam boundary dispute requires a permanent solution, while stressing the need to maintain peace and normalcy along the border. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function, Sangma said tensions arise periodically due to differences and misunderstandings, but the two states continue to coordinate at different levels to defuse such situations. He said some areas had already been resolved, while the remaining points of dispute would be taken up for settlement. Sangma acknowledged that the long-standing nature of the issue made a permanent settlement difficult, and stressed that differences must be addressed at the local level to prevent tensions from escalating. BYTE: CONRAD K. SANGMA- CHIEF MINISTER