After wide-ranging talks in New Delhi, senior officials
of Bhutan and India expressed
their satisfaction with the success of the bilateral cooperation,
especially in the
hydropower sector, and agreed to "continue to closely consult
each other on all
issues".
A joint press release was issued this week after the
Bhutanese Foreign Minister,
Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley's first official visit to India during which
he met with President
President K. R. Narayan, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee,
the Foreign Minister,
Mr. Jaswant Singh, and other officials of the Indian government.
The officials also agreed to host a "Bhutan Exhibition"
in India in October-November,
2001, to "further strengthen the shared heritage of history,
culture and geographical
proximity which have created strong ties of friendship" between
the two countries.
With the theme, "The living religious and cultural
tradition of Bhutan", focusing on
Buddhism in Bhutan, Buddhist ritual performances, arts, crafts,
and architecture of
Bhutan, performing arts of Bhutan, the exhibition is expected
to provide the people of
India to "share the living religious and cultural heritage
of Bhutan as well as depict the
Mahayana Buddhist tradition propagated by Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambhava)
and
other great Saints".
Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley, who was in India from April 17
to 27 on the invitation of his
Indian counterpart, also visited places of historic, cultural,
technological, and
environmental interest in south India.
"I came back convinced that the feelings of understanding,
friendship and cooperation
which the Bhutanese people feel towards India is mutual,"
he told Kuensel. "This was
very clear during my meetings and interaction with the President,
Prime Minister,
officials at the national and state levels, and a wide spectrum
of people."
Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley said that he had received a "clear
glimpse of the splendour of
India's glorious cultural heritage" as well as a very clear
sense of India's future
direction, especially after visiting technological marvels like
the International Tech
Park, headquarters of WIPRO, and the Indian Space Centre.
After seeing the revolutionary changes taking place,
the Foreign Minister said that he
saw further possibilities of enhancing bilateral cooperation beyond
the current sectors.
In a joint press conference Mr. Jaswant Singh said
that India enjoyed "the closest of
relations with Bhutan". He said that his meeting with the
Bhutanese Foreign Minister
had been "cordial and fruitful".
