Tajikistan seeks expeditious conclusion of 26/11 trial

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon held talks on key regional and international issues and reviewed the current status of bilateral ties apart from deciding to elevate it to "strategic partnership" which will include cooperation in a wide spectrum of areas, including political, economic, defence and counter-terrorism.

The two countries also inked six pacts in several areas including business and trade, health, culture, sports and education.

A joint statement, issued after the meeting, said that "with the tragic losses suffered in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai particularly in mind, both sides called for active prosecution of the authors of such crimes and their accomplices and urged that they be brought to justice expeditiously."

Reaffirming that international terrorism is a threat to global peace and security, the two sides condemned "those who support terrorism and underscored that those aiding, abetting and sheltering terrorists were as guilty of acts of terrorism as their actual perpetrators."

The leaders also stressed the need to work jointly towards eliminating terrorism including exchange of information, data, financing of terrorism and related matters and emphasized the need for enhanced dialogue between security agencies. MORE