India and Russia on Monday reiterated their resolve to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and expressed their intention to make an active contribution to counter fundamentalist violence under the auspices of the United Nations.
The two countries said that in multi-ethnic and democratic societies such as India and the Russian Federation, terrorist acts perpetrated under misleading slogans are in reality attacks on the freedom and democratic values of our societies and are aimed at undermining the territorial integrity of our nations.
The two countries also agreed that terrorist act may have international linkages extending across and beyond the borders, and that states that provide aid, abetment and shelter for such activities are themselves as guilty as the actual perpetrators of terrorism.
At the top-level talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir V. Putin here earlier today, India and Russia also restated the central role of the United Nations (UN) in combating international terrorism, and expressed their intention to make an active contribution to counter terrorism under the auspices of the UN.
The two counties also called for a speedy conclusion of the negotiations on the draft UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The sides also agreed to continue to address these issues in the format of the bilateral Joint Working Group on Countering International Terrorism.
The leaders recalled the Moscow Declaration between the Russian Federation and the Republic of India on International Terrorism signed on 6 November, 2001 and strongly reinforced that international terrorism remains to be not only a threat to peace and security, but also a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity.
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Both sides also affirmed the need to join efforts of all states to defeat terrorism. They condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and agreed that there should be no tolerance for sheltering, arming, training, or financing of terrorists.
Reaffirming the obligation of all states to vanquish terrorism from their territories and areas under their control, the two sides reaffirmed that they need to irreversibly shut down terrorist networks, organizations and infrastructure, and show tangible movement in investigating and delivering speedy justice all those responsible for acts of terrorism.
Both countries further agreed that there cannot be ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic, or any other justification to acts of terrorism.
Terrorist incidents of the 2008 Mumbai Terror Attacks and Beslan terrorist attack were also brought up in the top-level talks, and there was a consensus that the acts cannot be justified on any grounds.
On the international information security front, the sides also expressed concern at the growing threat of the use of information and communication technologies for criminal and terrorist purposes, as well as for purposes that are inconsistent with the UN Charter.
India and Russia noted the need for adoption by the international community of the universal rules, norms and principles of responsible behaviour of states in the use of Information and Communication Technologies.
The leaders agreed to deepen their bilateral consultations and cooperation on global issues related to the use of Information and Communication Technologies, and also decided to accelerate consideration of the proposed intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of international information security.
The sides also stressed the necessity to observe the principle of non-interference in internal affairs as well as human rights in Internet, including the right to privacy, in accordance with respective domestic legislation.
With regard to cooperation in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, the two counties said they consider as their common task preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means.
Emphasizing the importance of step-by-step progress in the field of disarmament with the participation of all stakeholders to uphold international peace, security and stability, the sides welcomed the bilateral consultations on Arms Control and Non-Proliferation which were held in New Delhi in May this year, and said that it gave an opportunity to exchange views on a whole range of topical issues.
The two sides also agreed to strengthen the multilateral export control regimes as important components of the global non-proliferation regime.
Russia took into positive consideration India's interest in full membership in MTCR and Wassenaar Arrangement.
The Russian side reiterated readiness to assist and promote a discussion and positive decision in the Nuclear Suppliers Group on India's full membership in the NSG, and welcomed India's intention to seek full membership.
India stressed its determination to actively contribute to the international efforts aimed at strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.
While recognizing the unalienable right of all states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes Russia and India stressed the need for countries to comply with their respective non-proliferation obligations.
The sides advocated the central role of the IAEA, and in particular its safeguards system, in the international activities aimed at the usage of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the requirements of the respective legally-binding safeguards obligations of states and the Statute of the organization.
The leaders also expressed concern on the Iranian Nuclear Program, and confirmed their support for a comprehensive and permanent settlement of the situation through political and diplomatic means, by establishing a dialogue.
India and Russia said that they recognized Iran's right to continue using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with its international obligations, and urged Iran to comply with the provisions of the corresponding resolutions of the UN Security Council and cooperate with the IAEA.
India and Russia also supported international efforts to ensure that outer space is used for peaceful purposes. They agreed that both legal instruments and appropriate and inclusive confidence-building measures can contribute to this end.