World News | Israel, Bhutan Establish Formal Relations

Jerusalem, Dec 12 (AP) Israel and Bhutan announced Saturday the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The agreement will “open the path to greater cooperation and further strengthen relations” between Israel and the South Asian kingdom, according to a joint statement.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the deal, writing on Twitter that it is an “additional fruit of the peace agreements.” He added that Israel was in contact with more countries to normalize relations.

The agreement with Bhutan looks separate from US efforts that have led to the normalization of ties between Israel and four Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, in recent months.

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The foreign ministers of Israel and Bhutan held secret talks that resulted in the agreement.

Even in the absence of formal relations, Israel has helped Bhutan in the field of development and agriculture since 1982, the statement said. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)