New Delhi: President A P J Abdul Kalam today (Oct 31) said the biggest threat to peace and stability in the world was terrorism and India continues to be a serious victim of the same for more than two and a half decades now.

Speaking at a banquet hosted in honour of visiting Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his wife Bella Kocharian, the President said, "Terrorism has no justification whether religious, ideological or political. There is therefore, the need to fight not only the perpetrators, but also those who sponsor and support it."

He said India condemns all acts of terrorism wherever they occur, by whomsoever and in whatever form. The threat of this menace has made it all the more essential for like- minded countries to cooperate in all possible ways to deal with it.

Thanking Armenia for its continued support for India's candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, Kalam said, "Recent events have reinforced the urgent need for restructuring of the UN Security Council so that it can play a vital role in reducing tensions by basing its actions on the principles of non-discrimination, consensus and transparency."

The President said India has a role to play in working towards a safer, saner and a more equitable world order based on cooperation and interdependence.

He was confident that the Armenian leader's visit would usher in a new era of cooperation in areas of bilateral, regional and international importance and will further consolidate the tradition of understanding and cooperation between the two counties.

PTI