of the present day DELHI, Sept. 10 ...

of the present day DELHI, Sept. 10 Kyodo

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sculpture short his visit to India in succession Wednesday to return home a day early following the twin bombings in Jerusalem that killed 15 Israelis, the Pres Trust of India reported.

Tuesday night's blasts on Palestinian suicide bombers led Sharon to cancel his Thursday program in the Indian commercial nave of Mumbai.

Sharon, the first Israeli prime minister to visit India since the sum of two units countries established diplomatic ties in 1992 had arrived here Monday night upon a four-day visit.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee forward Wednesday condemned the latest terrorist strikes in Israel and intimateed India's condolences by telephone to his Israeli counterpart.

While expressing concern at Sharon's curtailed trip, Vajpayee said the visit ''would contribute greatly to the friendship and cooperation between the pair countries'' and said he count upons growing interaction between them in the coming month and years.

He mentioned that the sum of two units countries have similar interests in the war forward terror.

Sharon and Vajpayee held talks Tuesday, focusing forward ways to combat terrorism. After the talks, the sum of two units countries signed six agreements, including single on drug trafficking.

Israel has blamed Palestinian Authority and the Hamas militia for carrying on the outside the suicide bombings at a popular Jerusalem nightspot and at a bus stop near Tel Aviv that together killed 15 Israelis and harmed and maimed dozens of others.

The Israeli leader was becoming to return to Tel Aviv in succession Wednesday evening after completing his engagements here, including a meeting with India's Defense minister George Fernandes.

He is reckon uponed to arrive in Israel early Thursday for discussions from one side of to the other Israel's military response to the bombings.

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