New Delhi, November 23
Stating that Pakistan had still not given up its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today expressed the hope it would happen "soon".

Speaking at a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and European Commission (EU) President Romano Prodi after their summit meeting here, Mr Vajpayee said Pakistan still continued with its terrorist activities even after it had become a member of the international coalition.

A joint declaration issued after the Indo-European Union summit categorically stated: "We support the fight against terrorism wherever it occurs and regardless of its motives."

It said: "All states have a responsibility to refrain from providing moral, material or diplomatic support to acts of terrorism and prevent the use of their territory for sponsoring terrorist acts against other states." It called for an early adoption of the draft on comprehensive convention on international terrorism and the convention of suppression of acts of nuclear terrorism.

Significantly, the declaration also made it clear that India and the EU supported the adoption of decisive measures on the basis of international law against all states, individuals and entities which rendered support to terrorism.

In another development, the EU today signed an agreement with India on science and technology which will boost the cooperation between their scientific centres of excellence and their most productive scientists in joint research projects at the cutting edge of science and technology.

The EU recognised that India had emerged as a centre of excellence in the field of information technology and both sides agreed to facilitate the movement of professionals and provide access or export of software.

A joint communique issued by the two sides said the Indo-EU joint vision statement on information, communication and technology had been adopted here and it was agreed to work towards its early implementation. The joint communique also called for the early conclusion of the agreement on customs cooperation.