China blow to India on NSG bid, JeM chief Masood Azhar

New Delhi: In a major setback for India, its diplomatic efforts to get China’s backing for NSG membership bid and getting JeM chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN seems to be making no headway with Beijing on Monday saying its stand on the two key issues “remains unchanged”. India’s diplomatic efforts to get the Chinese dragon on board seem to have come a cropper.

“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 was quoted by news agencies as announcing at a media briefing in Beijing.

His assertion that China’s stand remains unchanged was made while answering a question on foreign secretary S. Jaishankar’s remarks last week at an India-China think tank forum in New Delhi where he said China should not give a political colour to New Delhi’s efforts to access civilian nuclear technology.

Mr Jaishankar had also 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.

According to reports, 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 issues.

On Mr Jaishankar’s remarks last week that China should respect each other’s legitimate aspirations, Mr Geng said as major developing countries it is natural that two countries need not see eye to eye on every issue.

“Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and India the strategic cooperation between the two sides have made all round progress,” he said.

“ As two major developing countries it is only natural for us to not see eye to eye on all issues, but the mainstream of the bilateral relationship is cooperation and the two of us are staying in communication on relevant issues,” he was quoted as saying.

The Chinese side is looking to work together with the Indian side to expand bilateral mutual beneficial cooperation and manage differences based on consensus reached by leaders of both countries, he said. On the US Congress clearing the decks for India to become a Major Defence Partner of America, Geng gave a guarded reaction saying that both America and India are important countries.

“We welcome normal state to state relationship between different countries. We hope that the bilateral relationship and cooperation will be conducive to regional peace and development,” he said.