Russia backs India on Pak

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">NEW DELHI: India and Russia concluded their one-day summit Wednesday with India securing support on its position on Pakistan and Russia securing India''s agreement to intensify the strategic partnership.<br />While Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Vladimir Putin rounded off the summit with a strongly worded joint statement calling on Pakistan to end its cross-border terrorism and opposing the use of force against Iraq, the most significant outcome was their ability to identify a wide range of strategic issues of common interest and their agreement to cooperate on it.<br />In the most direct endorsement of the Indian position till now, the joint statement called on Pakistan to fulfill its obligations by preventing "infiltration of terrorists across the Line of Control" and eliminating the infrastructure of terrorism as a "prerequisite for the renewal of the peaceful dialogue".<br />It also supported the principle of bilateralism in resolving issues between the two countries, though Putin, in later remarks, also stressed the need for improving Indo-Pak relations and doing everything possible to settle the dispute in the context of the danger of weapons of mass destruction.<br />In addition to a general political thrust on the urgent need for expanding trade significantly, the summit saw agreement on expanding cooperation in the area of civilian nuclear energy with Russia agreeing to expand the existing programme, on a joint approach to energy security including joint projects, cooperation in space technology, areas which will invite Western concern.<br />India and Russia also agreed to expand military technical cooperation identifying for the first time national security interests of both countries as a factor in this cooperation.This will take into consideration issues of sale of arms to other countries notably India''s concerns about sale of arms to Pakistan.<br />On Iraq, the two sides showed complete unanimity of views stating that they opposed unilateral use of force and supported a comprehensive settlement of the issue only through political and diplomatic efforts under UN aegis. They also noted the importance of continuing intensive work with the Iraqi leadership to encourage it to cooperate with the UN.<br />Reiterating their commitment to a multi-polar world order, the two sides identified for the first time the need to do this in the interests of removing threats to international peace and security.<br />In response to questions on his recent statement on the danger of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) falling into terrorist hands, President Putin said it was necessary to alert public opinion to this danger, strengthen the non-proliferation regime, do everything to settle the dispute between India and Pakistan through peaceful means and establish a system of international safeguards in the field of nuclear weapons.<br />India and Russia agreed on the need for reform of the UN Security Council and Russia said India was a deserving and strong candidate.<br />On the issue of terrorism, on which they set up a joint working group, the two sides emphasised that there should be no double standards in the fight against terrorism. They said countermeasures against terrorism were required on a comprehensive and sustained basis and added that both sides would take preventive and deterrent measures in meeting these threats and cooperate in this regard.<br />They discussed Afghanistan and the continuing threat to security there including the possible regrouping of Al-Qaeda and Taliban.<br />The two sides signed a spate of agreements in addition to the Delhi Declaration. These included a declaration on economic, scientific and technological cooperation, an MoU on terrorism, an MoU on telecommunications, on protection of intellectual property rights, among others.<br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Related Stories:</span> <br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=30278819">India, Russia sign eight agreements</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=30267444">Putin urges Indians to invest in Russia</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=30191296">PM''s chefs prepare impressive spread for Putin</a><br /><img src="/images/redbull.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=30206289">TOI Edit: Axis of evil</a><br /><img src="/images/redbull.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?msid=30182806">Today''s interview: Moscow Overture</a> </img></img></img></img></img></div> </div>