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new momentum in Indo-Bhutan friendship |
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12
June 2004 - “We are welcomed here in Bhutan with
smiles and open arms everywhere we go,” said the pioneer
of the Indo-Bhutan friendship Association based in New Delhi,
Mr R N Anil. “There is so much goodwill to be tapped to
strengthen the relations between the people of our two countries.”
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According to Mr Anil and a delegation of 19 members of the India-Bhutan Friendship Association from several chapters in different parts of India, Indo-Bhutan relations was now gathering momentum at the people-to-people level boosted by the different IBFA chapters in different Indian cities. The chapters were all private initiatives stemming from personal interests and goodwill. |
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Currently in Bhutan on an eight-day visit, the delegation called on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, who is president of the Bhutan-India Friendship Association, government officials and held enthusiastic talks with BIFA members from Thimphu, Phuentsholing, Gelephu, and Samtse. The two associations came up with a number of ideas for collaboration in areas like health, sports and tourism, to be organised at the non-government level. “We feel that we have already made a small contribution to Indo-Bhutan relations,” said Mr Anil who is on his seventh visit to Bhutan. “Now, with this combined visit of the different chapters and having experienced Bhutan first hand, our members will have much more to share back home.” The vice president of BIFA, Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, informed the IBFA members that the association in Bhutan had seen a new momentum with His Royal Highness as president. Apart from social activities like the November 11 celebrations, now to be held by the organisations in both Bhutan and India, BIFA was organising substantive activities and taking part in a growing number of exchange programmes. The associations agreed that, while the relations between the two countries could not be better at the official level, much could still be done to strengthen understanding among the people of the two countries. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who met the delegation for more than an hour, said that the warm and very substantive discussions that he had held with the members of IBFA was “symbolic of the deep bonds of friendship between the two countries”. His Royal Highness expressed his appreciation for the important role played by IBFA in furthering people to people ties and his satisfaction with the cooperation between the two associations. By
Kinley Dorji |
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