Chile backs India for permanent seat in UN Security Council

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Chile Tuesday backed India's
efforts for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and
expressed solidarity in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror
attacks by demanding that its perpetrators be brought to book.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, during talks with
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, condemned the "heinous
and cowardly terrorist attacks" which posed a threat to human
safety on a global scale.

She expressed hope that the "intellectual and actual
perpetrators" would be identified soon and brought to justice.

Singh and Bachelet called for enhanced international
cooperation and exchange of information to enhance the ability
of the governments to fight terrorism.

A joint statement issued after the talks said the two
leaders reiterated that early conclusion of the Comprehensive
Convention on International Terrorism was imperative to
consolidation of counter-terrorism efforts within the UN.

The two sides also signed four pacts, including one on
cooperation in exploration and utilisation of outer space for
peaceful purposes.

Bachelet, Chile's first woman President, declared her
support for India's permanent membership of an expanded UN
Security Council.

India and Chile signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
Cooperation in the field of New and Renewable energy and an
agreement on cooperation in the exploration and utilisation of
outer space for peaceful purposes.

The two sides also signed a pact for cooperation in the
field of education and an MoU on Cooperation in the field of
Geology and Mineral Resources.

Bachelet and Singh agreed on the commitment to continue
negotiations within the framework of the Bali action plan to
reach an agreed outcome for the implementation of the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The two countries also agreed to promotion on joint
initiatives in R&D on advanced clean technologies with the
objective of finding concrete and innovative solutions to the
issue of climate change.

In the field of science and technology, Chile has invited
India to join its 2009-10 Scientific Antarctic Expedition by
sending an expert to participate in an ice coring research
project.

Bachelet and Singh evinced interest in exploring the
feasibility of entering into a Free Trade Agreement and
expressed satisfaction on the initiation of a process to
broadening and deepening of the existing Preferential Trade
Agreement in force since August 2007.