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PM leaves for Delhi

October 14, 2006 14:01 IST

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday left for home, concluding his three-day visit to Finland during which India and the European Union agreed to enhance anti-terror cooperation and decided to ink a significant trade pact.

Dr Singh, who was in Helsinki on the second leg of his six-day tour of Britain and Finland, also sought support of the 25-nation EU for the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

Terrorism, in the backdrop of Pakistan-abetted Mumbai blasts, civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade dominated the agenda of talks he had with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, who is the current president of EU.

Dr Singh provided to Blair and Vanhanen glimpses of evidence regarding involvement of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence and terror groups based in that country in the July 11 blasts after which they emphasised that terrorism was a serious threat and needed to be fought through collective efforts.

The visit saw India, Britain and Finland agreeing to step up cooperation against terrorism through sharing of intelligence and information and other measures.

In Helsinki, India and the EU decided to ink a Trade and Investment Agreement within two years. The agreement between India and its largest trading partner is aimed at boosting commerce by reducing tariffs on scores of items.

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