His Majesty with (left) Foreign Secretary Mr. Shivshankar
Menon, Indian ambassador Sudhir Vyas and Mr. Pankaj
Saran, Joint Secretary (North)

28 October 2006 - Speaking to the Bhutanese media yesterday, the Indian foreign secretary, Mr. Shivshankar Menon, said that there was a need to review the 1949 treaty of friendship between India and Bhutan to make it more contemporary and relevant.

“We need to bring the relationship in line with the changing demands of the times,” said Mr. Menon who is on a three-day visit to Bhutan from October 26 – 28.

Mr. Menon received an audience with His Majesty the King during which very warm

discussions were held on issues of mutual concern and interest including the 1949 friendship treaty and the future of Indo-Bhutan relations with the political changes that will be taking place in Bhutan. His Majesty expressed his deep appreciation that Bhutan was the first country Mr. Menon was visiting after his appointment as foreign secretary of India.

Mr. Menon who also met with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and had a separate meeting with the prime minister said that he used the occasion to review the relationship which had over time led to a deep mutual understanding and trust and which today extended to a mutual commitment to stability, to progress and to peace.

Mr. Menon said that Bhutan was the first country he was visiting after taking up the office of the foreign secretary. “It should give you an idea of how important we in the Government of India regard this relationship.”

He also said that the visit was a chance, after 12 years, to meet old friends, review the relationship, to catch up on what has happened and to see how to further develop this close relationship, which was of mutual benefit.

The foreign secretary said that India would continue to be partners in Bhutan’s development. “We have, in the past, to the extent that we are capable of, tried to help our friends in Bhutan, Bhutan has helped us also and as Bhutan enters into a transition in her own internal arrangement, we will continue to help in every way we can,” said Mr. Menon.

On the political changes taking place in Bhutan Mr. Menon said that as good friends India was confident that under His Majesty’s guidance and with the care with which Bhutan was approaching the transitions it would be a smooth transition that would serve Bhutan’s interests.

Mr. Menon said that the future on Indo- Bhutan relations was very, very bright. “I can’t add enough ‘verys’ because there is so much more that we can do together and our experiences of the last few years have been so good that I think we have learnt how to work together, how to build this relationship,” he said.

The foreign minister, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, said that Mr. Menon’s visit was in keeping with the tradition of frequent high-level exchange of visits between the two countries. “Such visits contribute to further promoting our relations,” said Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk. “I was most happy to be reassured of Government of India’s total support and assistance towards the successful completion of the Ninth Plan and the implementation of the 10th Plan,” he said.

His Majesty and Their Majesties the Queens hosted a lunch for Mr. Menon at the Dechenchholing Palace yesterday.

Mr. Shivshankar Menon, who has a post graduate degree in history, has served the Ministry of External Affairs in various capacities, since 1972, in China, Africa, Austria, and Japan. He was joint secretary heading the North East Division of the Indian foreign ministry from 1992 to 1995.

He was the Ambassador and the High Commissioner of India to Israel, Sri Lanka, China and Pakistan between 1995 and 2006.

Mr. Menon became the foreign secretary on October 1, 2006.

By Karma Choden
kchoden@kuensel.com.bt