(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)
The Kingdom of Bhutan and Israel signed this evening (Saturday, 12 December 2020) a declaration of the establishment of full diplomatic relations.
The signing ceremony was held at the residence of Israel’s Ambassador to India, Dr. Ron Malka. Ambassador Malka held an official exchange of notes ceremony with his colleague, the Ambassador of Bhutan to India, Major General Vetsop Namgyel.
Last weekend, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabi Ashkenazi spoke with his Bhutanese counterpart, Foreign Minister Tandy Dorji. During the conversation, the date of the signing was agreed upon, as was the formulation of a joint work plan in the areas of water management, agriculture, health, and more.
FM Ashkenazi: “I want to thank the Kingdom of Bhutan and congratulate them on their decision to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel. This decision is a milestone in the deepening of Israel’s relations with the Asian region.
“I invite my friend, Foreign Minister Dorji, to visit Israel to advance cooperation between our countries. I sincerely hope that in the upcoming year, we will host the King of Bhutan in Jerusalem for a first-of-its-kind royal visit.
“I also want to thank Israel's Ambassador to India, Dr. Ron Malka and his team, for strengthening our relations with Bhutan, and for building the outline that brought about the signing of this agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations between us.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in contact with the Kingdom through the Agency for International Development Cooperation (Mashav), and in Israel, Bhutanese students participate in agricultural training.
In recent years, the MFA maintained covert contact between the countries with the goal of establishing official ties, and reciprocal visits of Israeli delegations to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and from Bhutan to Israel, have been held.
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The Kingdom of Bhutan, bordering India and China, lies in the heart of the Himalayan mountains and is one of the most beautiful and unique tourist destinations in the world. Bhutan has full diplomatic relations with only 53 countries, and it was Bhutan that gave the world the ‘happiness index’.