BEIJING, Oct 30:
China today hinted at no change in its policy of blocking efforts to list JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist during the second tenure of President Xi Jinping, as Beijing continued to harp on its familiar stand that there was no consensus among UN Security Council members.
A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India’s move to put a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council. JeM has already been in its banned list.
China had in August extended by three months its technical hold on the US, France and UK-backed proposal to list Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN after having blocked the move in February this year at the United Nations.
“We have made our position clear many times from this podium. The relevant resolutions of Security Council have clear stipulations as to the mandate of 1267 Committee and also clear stipulations when it comes to the listing of relevant organisations and individuals,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.
Replying to questions whether China will block the ban on Azhar again when the 1267 Committee of the UNSC takes up the issue on Thursday, Hua said “as for listing application by the relevant country, there are disagreements”.
China’s latest hold is due to lapse on Thursday.
India has identified Azhar as the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack on January 2, 2016. It has also blamed his brother Rauf and five others for carrying out the attack in which seven Indian soldiers were killed.
Hua’s remarks indicate that China will continue its policy to block moves by India and other countries led by US to list Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN during the second term of President Xi. (PTI)
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