Ankara, Sept 17: Giving a boost to their bilateral ties, India and Turkey today signed five accords including one to set up a joint working group on combating terrorism for sharing their experience and coordinating approach. The JWG, protocol for which was signed by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Satyabrata Mookerjee and Turkish Minister of Natural Energy Hilni Guiler, in the presence of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Turkish counterpart here would help the two countries share their experience and coordinate approaches to combat terrorism, organised crime and illicit trafficking of human, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as well as their linkage. The two sides would also exchange information on the activities of terrorists and organised criminal groups. The agreement aimed at establishing an international framework for such cooperation. Besides the JWG, the two sides also signed an agreement in the field of science and technology that would enhance their cooperation through joint research and development projects, exchange of scientists and scholars as well as of scientific and technical information and doucmentation and by organising bilateral scientific and technical seminars and workshops.

The two sides finalised the procedures for ratification of extradition treaty signed between them in 2001 and exchange of protocol to bring the agreement into effect from October 17 this year. Both sides also signed a protocol on cooperation in the fields of information technology and computer software. The agreement envisages exchanges and cooperation in it and computer software fields by means of mutual visits, technical seminars and to encourage investment in this sector in both the countries.

The two countries also exchanged notes to activate a tourism cooperation agreement signed in January 1995.

Bureau Report