India, Russia for consolidated global action against terror

India and Russia today shared concern over the continued terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan-Pakistan region and pressed for consolidatedglobal action against the scourge.

During their talks here, external affairs minister SM Krishna and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Sobyanin were of the view that drug trafficking is a major source of funds for terrorists and stressed the need for crackdown on it.

They underlined the need for early ratification of Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism (CCIT) by the UN so that the legal framework could compel member countries to crack down on the menace.

Sobyanin also met prime minister Manmohan Singh and discussed aspects related to his visit to Moscow early next month.

Krishna and Sobyanin, while reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral ties, agreed on the need to give a push to cooperation in civil nuclear, IT and pharmaceuticals sectors and boost trade and investment while working to resolve amicably the issue of Rupee debt.

Discussing issues related to the region, the two leaders shared concern over the persisting threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan-Pakistan region.

In this context, Krishna drew Sobyanin's attention to two attacks on Indian Embassy in Kabul in over a year and the fact that Afghanistan had blamed forces based across its borders for these terror acts, official sources said.

Citing Afghan government, the external affairs minister told Sobyanin that the attacks on the Indian Embassy were handiwork of those forces who are not comfortable with close relations between India and Afghanistan, the sources said.

The Russian deputy prime minister said his country, like India, faced challenge from terrorism.

He noted that terrorists are inter-linked and work in a coordinated manner.

Sobyanin said a major source of terror funding is drug trafficking and the two leaders stressed the need to address this problem.

They underlined the need for consolidated action by the international community against terror in all its aspects, the sources said.

Krishna, who met Sobyanin for the second time since October 21, said India attaches the highest importance to its relations with Russia.

He said the two countries should work to enhance their cooperation, particularly in fields like trade and investment, IT and pharmaceuticals.

They also expressed satisfaction over civil nuclear cooperation in the backdrop of India allocating a new site in West Bengal for Russian nuclear reactor. The two leaders agreed to take the process forward.

During his maiden visit here, Sobyanin will travel to Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu to get a first hand account of the civilian nuclear facilities being developed with Russian cooperation there.