December 6: The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley said the visit by the US Congressional delegation led by Senator John McCain would deepen the relations between Bhutan and the United States of America. The Prime Minister was speaking at the Banquet hosted for the delegation on Thursday, December 4.

The Prime Minister said the discussions with the delegation focused on the deepening and broadening relations between the two countries. The Prime Minister said there has been a satisfying development over the years.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley said since 1998 a train of America’s senior government officials and leaders had visited Bhutan. He said a growing number of Bhutanese students are traveling to the US for studies through scholarships provided by the government and multilateral agencies and the Universities in the US.

The Prime Minister said apart from cultural interaction, there is also a growing interest from the general American public in Bhutanese culture as a result of which there have been several successful exhibitions.

The Prime Minister said the delegation’s visit would take further the mutual desire of the two countries to deepen the relations.

Speaking at the Press Conference on Thursday, December 4, Senator John McCain said there will come a time when the two countries will have formal relations.

At the Banquet, Senator John McCain said the world is going through difficult times. He said Bhutan stands as a hope and inspiration to the world.

Senator McCain said he also admires the fact that many Bhutanese leaders had received part of their education at the Universities in the US.

He said they would look into expanding educational opportunities for Bhutanese in the US.

Parliamentarians, senior government officials and the heads of the media organizations were also present at the Banquet.