India, SA to set up joint working group on terror

India and South Africa have decided to set up a Joint Working Group on terrorism and will share intelligence to prevent terror attacks.

This was among the decisions taken during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to South Africa, which ended on Tuesday.

Terrorism was among the issues which figured prominently in discussions between Dr Singh and South African President Thabo Mbeki in the backdrop of the July 11 Mumbai blasts.

South Africa shares India's view that terrorism is a "serious threat to sovereign states, international peace, security and development" and all countries need to join hands to fight the menace.

The two countries favour a "collective and comprehensive" fight to eliminate terrorism completely.

They sought early adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN General Assembly, which would provide a legal framework to help end terrorism.

"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," a joint declaration issued after the talks between Dr Singh and Mbeki said.