Russian security chief lauds ties with India

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, FEB. 21. The Secretary of Russian Security Council, Mr. Sergei Ivanov, today praised relations between India and Russia as ``not just strategic, but sincere and open-minded partnership, based on traditional friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples and states''.

``Russia and India share a common understanding of the need to promote a just and secure world order that can create conditions for economic, scientific and technological progress in the interests of all countries and peoples without exception,'' Mr. Ivanov, told Indian National Security Council (NSC) officials.

The NSC Joint Secretaries, Mr. Arvind Gupta, and Mr. S. D. Pradhan, met Mr. Ivanov at the end of two days of consultations with Russian Security Council officials. The Indian Ambassador to Russia, Mr. S. K. Lambah, was also present at the meeting.

The first ever consultations between the security establishments of India and Russia were held in pursuance of a protocol cooperation between the NSCs, signed during Mr. Ivanov's visit to India last year. Two joint coordination groups met in Moscow to discuss terrorism and regional, as well as global security.

On terrorism, both sides noted no change in Pakistan's position in the wake of Security Council Resolution 1333 calling for a ban on arms supplies to the Taliban, diplomatic sources said. Both sides welcomed Security Council consultations as providing a much-needed forum for discussing inter-agency issues. The next NSC consultations will be held in Delhi.

Terrorism, a common threat

The deputy chief of the Russian Security Council, Mr. Oleg Chernov, said on Monday that terrorism posed a threat both to Russia and India.

``Terrorism has emerged as one of the most pressing problems of today, a serious destabilising factor, not only in separate countries and regions, but in the world as a whole,'' Mr. Chernov said at the Indo-Russian consultations on security issues and terrorism.

Mr. Chernov described Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as ``a base of international terrorism'', which is attempting to expand into Central Asia.

``All this dictates a pressing need for close cooperation between Russia and India in opposing terrorism,'' Mr. Chernov said.

Diplomatic sources said Security Council consultations provided a useful forum for discussion of issues not covered by existing mechanisms of bilateral interaction.

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