South Africa [Images] on Monday strongly denounced the barbaric terror strikes in Mumbai [Images] and joined India in demanding a 'global and comprehensive' fight against the scourge to eradicate it completely.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] and South African President Thabo Mbeki discussed the issue during their talks and decided that their countries would work together towards early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism [Images] in the UN General Assembly.

In the backdrop of the July 11 Mumbai serial blasts, Dr Singh and Mbeki 'viewed terrorism as a serious threat to sovereign states, international peace, security and development'.

Answering questions on the issue of terrorism, the South African leader denounced the 'barbaric' Mumbai bomb blasts and said they were all against the scourge, but the fight against it has not been won.

They agreed that counter-terrorism efforts by the international community under the auspices of the UN should be 'global, comprehensive and in conformity with international law, human rights and humanitarian law', according to a joint declaration issued after the talks.

'The ultimate objective is the total eradication of this scourge (of terrorism) so that barbaric attacks, such as the ones carried out on July 11, 2006 in Mumbai and other parts of the world, do not recur', it said.

'The two leaders expressed their deep concern over international terrorism, extremism, trans-border organised crime and illicit trafficking in humans and in arms and drugs', the declaration said.

Emphasising that it was important for countries to share intelligence and information extensively to prevent terror acts, Mbeki said, for instance, his country's police should learn from the experience of their Mumbai counterparts who had made arrests in the bomb blasts case.

The two sides, while supporting use of nuclear energy for peaceful uses, emphasised their 'unwavering commitment" to the goal of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons in a comprehensive, universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable manner.

Dr Singh and Mbeki expressed concern over the lack of progress in the realisation of that goal, the declaration said.

The two leaders underscored the need to start negotiations on a phased programme for complete elimination of nuclear weapons with a specified framework of time to eliminate nuclear weapons, to prohibit their development, production, acquisition, testing, stockpiling, transfer, use or threat of use and to provide for their destruction.