Bhutan`s PM calls on President

New Delhi: Prime Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Y Thinley on Friday called on President Pranab Mukherjee here and said his country`s future was "interwined" with India. Describing India as Bhutan`s most important partner, the visiting Bhutanese Prime Minister said his country`s peace, stability, prosperity and happiness depends on how it maintains its special relationship with India.

"Bhutan’s future is intertwined with that India," Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venu Ramamony quoted him as conveying to the President. The President described Thinley an "old esteemed friend" of India and said India values his long-standing, strong personal support for strengthening India-Bhutan relations and his pioneering role as the first democratically-elected Prime Minister of Bhutan. The President said India is always sensitive to Bhutanese wishes and aspirations and hoped that Bhutan would also be sensitive to India’s concerns, the spokesman said. He expressed his satisfaction at the excellent state of India-Bhutan bilateral relations marked by extensive, multi-faceted, mutually beneficial cooperation. And said India’s intention is to further strengthen, expand and reinforce the canvas of economic cooperation and bilateral engagement. Thinley said Bhutan wanted to strengthen and deepen relations with India and his mission to India is to express the gratitude of Bhutanese people for the substantial support rendered by India for its development, for the democratic process and for the high importance attached by India to bilateral relations with Bhutan. PTI