New Delhi: Observing that Bhutan considers India as its closest neighbour and friend, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk on September 15 hoped that the militancy problem in his country would be resolved peacefully through a process of dialogue and militant camps inside Bhutan removed.

Wangchuk, on a five-day state visit, told reporters at Rashtrapati Bhavan after being accorded a ceremonial reception that he had invited militants operating in the North Eastern states from Bhutanese soil for a dialogue to resolve the insurgency problem.

"I have written letters to the representatives of these organisations to come to Thimpu so that this issue could be resolved through dialogue," he said. The ceremonial welcome for him was shifted indoors due to heavy downpour.

The Bhutanese King said the National Assembly of Bhutan had last month taken a decision to invite the leaders of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Kuki Liberation Organisation (KLO) from Assam and West Bengal to come for talks to Thimphu.

A Bhutanese Embassy statement said the King expressed the hope that "the problem could be resolved peacefully through a process of dialogue, namely by removing the militant camps, which have been illegally and forcefully established by the militants inside Bhutan". There are about two such camps inside Bhutan at present.

The King said it is important to understand that the governments of India and Bhutan have been working closely together and making every effort to resolve the militant problem over the last few years.

PTI