China to permanently stall Masood Azhar terror tag?

New Delhi: In a possible scenario that seems to have got New Delhi worried, China has the option of imposing a permanent block by December 31 which will effectively derail India’s efforts to get terror outfit JeM chief Masood Azhar banned by the United Nations. Such a move by China could spell the death-knell for India’s efforts.

China’s second ‘technical hold’ on Azhar’s banning in UN is due to expire at the end of this month and the two countries are in talks on both the NSG and Azhar issues. China, a veto-wielding member, has blocked India’s application twice already, while the rest of the members of the UN Security Council supported it. The 1267 Committee (called so on account of the Resolution 1267) has 15 members who are all members of the UN Security Council. China is a permanent member of the UNSC with the veto power. The other 14 countries are supporting India’s efforts on the proposed ban on Masood Azhar but China remains opposed to it due to its all-weather ties with Pakistan.

Just recently, India’s diplomatic efforts to get China’s backing for NSG membership bid and getting JeM chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN seemed to have come a cropper with Beijing saying its stand on the two key issues “remains unchanged”.

“As for India’s application for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and listing issue pursuant to resolution of 1267 (to get Masood banned by the UN), China’s position remains unchanged,” China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang had recently announced at a media briefing in Beijing.

Just last week Foreign Secretary S.Jaishankar — at an India-China think tank forum in New Delhi — had expressed dismay over the two countries not being able to come together on the issue of “fundamentalist terrorism” at critical international forums, an obvious reference to China blocking India’s bid to get Azhar banned by the UN.