The United States has offered India its expertise instrengthening counter-terrorism institutional structuresand the two countries are soon expected to sign a mutuallegal assistance treaty, a joint statement issued by thetwo countries said.
The third US-India Counter-Terrorism Working Group meet yesterdayat the State Department in Washington expressed concern at thegrowing menace of international terrorism, extremism and drugtrafficking.
"The two sides unequivocally condemned all acts, methods andpractices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, whereverand by whomever committed, and whatever the considerationsthat may be invoked to justify them," it said.
The Indian delegation was headed by Joint Secretary JayantPrasad of the Ministry of External Affairs. Both delegationsincluded an inter-agency group of counter-terrorism andlaw enforcement officials.
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The two sides decided to continue consultations on the India-proposedComprehensive Convention against International Terrorismbeing discussed in the Sixth Committee of the U.N. GeneralAssembly and reiterated support for its early finalisation.
The Indian Government accepted a U.S. offer for a seminar tocounter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear terroristthreats later this year. Inter-agency teams from the two countries decided to enhance exchange of information and strengthencoordination of approaches and actions in combating internationalterrorism.
PTI
