Asserting that terrorism was unquestionably the highest priority on the international agenda, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday said that India and Turkey do not accept the 'dangerous logic of root causes' as excuses for inaction against the menace.

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"Both Turkey and India have been victims of terrorism well before 9/11 (terror strike against the US). We have common perspectives on this issue. We agree that there can be no double standards in identifying or fighting terrorism. We do not accept the dangerous logic of root causes as excuses for inaction against terrorism," he said.

Delivering his keynote address to the Centre for Strategic Research in Ankara, the prime minister said, "Today the world faced the real and frightening danger of Weapons of Mass Destruction falling into hands of terrorists."

"We agree that strong international cooperation is needed to tackle this problem," Vajpayee said recalling that both Turkey and India have collaborated with each other at international fora on combating terrorism.

Observing the two countries have established a JWG on terrorism to expand this cooperation and give it a greater practical shape, he said the JWG would also forge closer cooperation between their security and law enforcing agencies.

Besides terrorism, other issues outlined by the prime minister in his address on which India and Turkey could work together included reforms of multilateral institutions, issues relating to global trade regime and in science and technology.

Stressing the need for a just and equitable international order, Vajpayee said India and Turkey needed to ensure that all countries played their deserved role in the emergence of a cooperative, multi-polar world order, in which their interests and aspirations were given due consideration.

Observing that multilateral institutions have recently come under considerable criticism and strain, he said, "Most importantly, the functioning of the United Nations and its various agencies has been less than optimal."

"India and Turkey can work together for the reform of these institutions, to make them more relevant and responsive to today's world realities," he added.