recently made known DELHI, Dec. 4 K...

recently made known DELHI, Dec. 4 Kyodo

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee forward Wednesday voiced strong opposition to unilateral use of force and interference in internal affairs of other countries and called for a resolution of Iraq's weapons issue from one side political and diplomatic efforts.

''A comprehensive arrangement of the situation around Iraq is possible merely through political and diplomatic efforts in strict conformity with the empires of the international law and no other than under the aegis of the United Nations,'' the sum of two units leaders said a joint statement issued after a meeting in of recent origin Delhi.

The sum of two units leaders also noted the importance of intensifying efforts to drive Iraq to cooperate with the United Nations and called for the strict implementation of UN Security Council resolutions forward the fight against terrorism and universal antiterrorist conventions in subordination to the U.N. Charter.

The statement said the fight against terrorism must not contain double standards and should also target financial and other sources that support terrorism.

forward terrorism in the disputed Kashmir region, Putin and Vajpayee urg the Pakistani sway to implement its promises and stop the infiltration of terrorists across the border into India's Jammu and Kashmir state.

The brace leaders called for the elimination of terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir ''as a prerequisite'' for a renewal of dialogue between India and Pakistan.

just discovered Delhi accuses Islamabad of sponsoring cross-border terrorism, an allegation denied at Pakistan which says it is lending solely moral support to freedom fighters in India-ruled Kashmir.

India and Pakistan have fought pair of their three wars throughout Kashmir since independence in 1947 and have be derived close to a conflict twice since the two countries exploded nuclear devices in 1998

Putin and Vajpayee signed a memorandum of understanding forward cooperation in combating terrorism and a joint declaration forward strengthening economic, scientific and technological cooperation between the couple countries to boost sagging trade and economic ties.

Bilateral trade between Russia and India has taken a downturn since the collapse of Soviet Union.

The two-way trade, which stood at $55 billion in 1989 plummet to $15 billion in 2001

Putin arrived in recent Delhi Tuesday evening on three-day state visit. He was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace Wednesday morning.

Putin visited India in October 2000 and Vajpayee traveled to Moscow in November last year as part of a bilateral agreement to keep possession of annual summit meetings.

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