Sofia: India and Bulgaria on October 23 agreed to put down terrorism with a firm hand, with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov asserting that there is a need to "examine the deep social roots of this phenomenon".

"We have to eradicate this phenomenon and for this we have to find ways to do so," Parvanov said in a joint press conference after an hour-long meeting with visiting Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam.

"We condemned terrorism and agreed that terrorism cannot be tolerated under any terms whether political, ethnic or otherwise," said Kalam, who arrived in Sofia on the last leg of his three-nation tour.

Asserting that the view of both the countries on terrorism "coincided", Parvanov said, "Bulgaria has fully and unilaterally sided with the international anti-terrorist coalition. I would like to point out that Bulgaria has supported all international coalitions to fight terrorism."

He said his country would take up the issue of terrorism when it joins the Council for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2004.

"We would also like to study the deep social roots of this phenomenon," the Bulgarian President said.

The two leaders began talks immediately after Kalam was accorded the ceremonial welcome at the Alexander Nevski Place amidst a slight drizzle and later laid a wreath on the tomb of the 'Unknown Soldier' accompanied by Parvanov.

PTI