NEW DELHI: India will extend all help to Myanmar in setting up democratic institutions for ensuring stability in that country during transition phase, President Pranab Mukherjee has said welcoming the State Counsellor of the Republic of Myanmar Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi who is on her first State Visit to India after assuming the charge called on President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Welcoming the Nobel laureate, the President said India and Myanmar are close neighbours and have a good long standing relationship with each other. “He wished Myanmar all success in establishing a strong democracy. He stated that Myanmar’s transition to full democracy will take time to achieve and India stands by Myanmar in this process,” a statement from Press Secretary to the President Venu Rajamony said. It said the President congratulated Suu Kyi on her landmark victory in the elections held in November, 2015. “He said that he was happy that the process of democratisation was being strengthened in Myanmar. India will extend all help to Myanmar in this phase of transition in order to set up democratic institutions for ensuring stability in the country,” the statement said. Suu Kyi stated that change does not happen easily and Myanmar has to go about the process of transition in a cautious manner, it said. She said Myanmar seeks the cooperation and support of India as its people look forward to progress and change for the betterment of their lives. The President said India appreciates the spirit with which the people of Myanmar have responded in the General Elections and the manner in which the whole process of elections has been steered, it said. “The President said that India will soon commence work on restoring two old temples and inscriptions of King Mindon and Bay Gyi Daw in Bodh Gaya as requested by the Government of Myanmar. He said that this task will be undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India with financial support from Government of India,” the statement said.—PTI