A coming of age summit

Source: Kuenselonline

Opportunity to showcase Bhutan as an emerging nation

Dry Run: A rehearsal all the way from Paro Airport

23 April, 2010 - The main gate at Babesa that welcomes visitors into the capital city stands tall.

First come the flags of SAARC member states affixed to the necks of street lamps along the 6.5-km expressway. This is followed by portraits of the heads of eight SAARC member nations also fastened to lamp-posts.
An alternate succession of flags and pictures of leaders continues until the end of the expressway at Lungtenzampa.

Thimphu city looks much cleaner and its residents are eager to witness the motorcade of heads of the region pass through the main streets.

Bhutan is ready to host the 16th SAARC Summit.

“It’s a special privilege and opportunity to showcase and demonstrate our country as coming of age,” Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley told Bhutanese journalists at a press conference in the “grand” assembly hall in Thimphu.

While journalists were seated on chairs behind semicircular tables, designated for delegates from member nations with their country name-plates, the prime minister sat below the platform, where the heads of states will stand, during the inaugural ceremony, behind the long table, spanning the platform, with podiums at either end.

A privilege, he continued, to showcase an economy that is growing and an ecology, which though fragile, is well preserved and will continue to be so.

He also said it was an opportunity to showcase an emerging democracy, which started in a unique way and will thrive.

“As a harmonious society and a country that is committed to regional cooperation that has now the political will and intelligence to host such a major regional event,” Lyonchhoen said.

A country like Bhutan, Lyonchhoen said, needed such an event to project its image as a sovereign, independent and a unique nation.

“Never has Bhutan played host to so many important delegations and never will it be exposed to the outside world as this event might,” he said.

The country would be playing host to some 800 delegates, of which 50 would be observers from nine observing nations and more than 300 media people.

The press conference was held after Bhutanese journalists were given a tour of the principal areas where the dignitaries would meet, be entertained and stay during the Summit.

Lyonchhoen said hosting the event brought with it the responsibility of chairmanship, which going beyond hospitability, meant being more knowledgeable on all deliberations of issues.

Apart from upgrading airport facilities, erecting a new gate at Chunzom and sprucing up the city, the government had to also refurbish the interiors of the summit hall in parliament.

The prime minister said the lights had to be changed, because it was timely and necessary from threats posed by wires.

The banquet hall will serve as the convention centre, where the programming committee, standing committee and council of ministers meeting would be held. It now has 15 chandeliers.

“The speaker’s room has been done up and called the Raven Room, where heads of government will meet before and after meetings at the Summit hall,” Lyonchhoen said.

The Bhutan house at SAARC Village will serve as a central facility to facilitate all bilateral meetings for heads of government, should they feel the need to meet on neutral grounds.

Besides that, it would also be used as a place of retreat for leaders of delegations for informal “frank exchanges” without their aids or anyone with official status.

SAARC, Lyonchhoen said, had a vast potential, the key to which was in the development of an atmosphere of understanding, trust, removal of doubts and suspicion among member states.

Lyonchhoen said he was confident that the summit would contribute to furthering confidence, which in turn was useful in furthering the interest of the countries of the region.

“The fact that they’re all coming here is an indication of that common interest,” Lyonchhoen said. “We all know the importance of SAARC.”

Lyonchhoen also appealed to the public to bear with the inconveniences the summit proceedings would cause them and to be mindful about littering.

By Samten Wangchuk