Martha Foley: So, David, we've been following the twists and turns of this disputed land – 12,000 acres in northern St. Lawrence and Franklin counties – for decades now. Let's remember – what is this all about? What is the basis for this land claim lawsuit?

David Sommerstein: This goes back more than 200 years, to the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. The Mohawks fought on the side of the British. So during and after the war, they were attacked and punished by the colonists - the "new" Americans. The Mohawks were pushed back from settlements throughout what is now eastern New York State to Akwesasne and the surrounding area.

So when we talk about the land claim, the "claim" is that during this time, New York State took possession of thousands of acres of land in northern New York illegally. The argument is that a series of treaties from the 1790s said the U.S. federal government had to approve the land transfer, and that it didn't.

MF: So the Mohawk land claim was filed in the courts in 1982. Since then, settlements have come and gone. There have been court rulings on parts of the land claim.

Now there's this proposed agreement, that Mohawks can buy about 5,000 acres in Massena and Brasher from "willing sellers" and add that to the Akwesasne reservation.

You went to Akwesasne Wednesday to meet with the St. Regis Mohawk chiefs. What did they say about this deal. Why now?