India and Russia Join Hands Against Terrorism

New Delhi, Apr 11 (Prensa Latina)

India and Russia agreed on Wednesday to strengthen bilateral collaboration in fighting cross-border terrorism as part of a strategic partnership they described as "special and exceptional."

  In the seventh meeting of the work group on the topic, both countries also called for joint international efforts to prevent and curb that world scourge, including the coherent implementation of UNSC resolutions.

In this regard, they supported the prompt conclusion at the UN General Assembly of discussions of the draft general agreement on international terrorism presented by India before the said UN body.

New Delhi and Moscow recognized their "significant capacity" to interact against money laundry and the funding of terrorism and decided to step up their collaboration in regional and world specialized bodies.

A communique issued by the Indian Foreign Ministry said the parties expressed concern about drug-trafficking, considering it as an element that undermines peace and stability in the region.

In this regard, they agreed on stepping up their interaction based on an intergovernmental agreement of cooperation in fighting rug trafficking, psychotropic substances and their precursors, signed on November 8, 2007.

"The relevant bodies of India and Russia will continue participating actively in this dialogue to improve the exchange of information and experiences linked to the struggle against these challenges and threats," they said.

The parties agreed to hold the eighth meeting of the joint working group on international terrorism next year in Moscow.

The delegations were headed by Assistant Secretary of the Foreign Minister Kumar Mukherjee Asoke (India) and the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Struggle against Terrorism and Cross-Border Organized Crime, Alexander Zmeevsky.