Tuesday, April 5 2005 16:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Marking a new phase in bilateral ties, India and Uzbekistan today (Apr 5, 2005) vowed to fight terrorism on a long term and sustained basis, as the two sides signed four pacts on stepping up cooperation in defence, education, culture and small and private entrepreneurship.

The agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Uzbek President Islam A Karimov, after the two leaders held extensive parleys covering bilateral and important regional and international issues of mutual interest.

The agreement on cooperation in military and military technical areas by the two defence ministries was inked by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Uzbek counterpart Kadir Gulomov.

It provides for exchange of expertise, development, production, repair of equipment, training and joint exercises.

The two sides resolved to fight terrorism on a long-term and sustained basis while observing that the scourge constituted one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. They emphasised the need for early conclusion of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

They also stressed on the importance of early realization of the international trans-Afghanistan transport corridor.

They noted that realization of this project would significantly decrease the distance and associated costs for transportation of goods between Uzbekistan and India and will also provide an opportunity to Afghanistan to integrate into the regional system of transport and communications.

Both sides noted that the Zaranj-Delarm road stretch, being built by India in Afghanistan, would constitute a key segment of the route linking Uzbekistan to the Chahbahar port in Iran, a joint statement issued in New Delhi said.

Karimov invited President A P J Abdul Kalam and the Prime Minister to visit Uzbekistan, which were accepted. Dates for the visits would be worked out through diplomatic channels.

The agreement on cooperation in education signed by External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Kasymov envisages development of contacts and cooperation between the ministries of education and educational institutions, exchange of publications, literature, organisation of conferences, seminars, exhibitions and joint research programmes.

Exchange of specialists for teaching Indian and Uzbek classical music, exchange of artistes, sportsmen and coaches are provided in the accord on cooperation in culture

Another pact was signed for cooperation in the sphere of support of small and private entrepreneurship. This envisages capacity building through exchange of experts, organising exhibitions, trade fairs, exchanging business missions and promoting partnership projects and institution-to-institution cooperation.

During the visit, eight other accords were signed for development of trade and tourism for promoting people-to- people contacts.

These are between FICCI and Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which has also signed a separate agreement with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations.