Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI, FEB 09:
India today hit out at China for its remarks that there was no consensus over the US’ proposal to ban Pathankot attack mastermind and JeM chief Masood Azhar at the UN, saying if there is a change in the Chinese position, there will be a consensus as well.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said the matter has been taken up with the Chinese Ambassador here and a similar demarche is being made in Beijing.
Observing that the proposal was not moved by India but by three permanent members of the UN Security Council the US, the UK and France, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup described it as a “classic counter-terrorism proposal” and hoped that China will also come around to accept this view.
“It is our understanding that this was a classic counter- terrorism proposal meant to proscribe a dreaded terrorist leader
Change your……
Masood Azhar whose organisation the Jaish-e-Mohammad has already been proscribed by the UN 1267 Committee.
“We don’t view this as a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan but as an issue of global counter terrorism. We hope that eventually China will also come around to accepting this view. Obviously, if there is a change in the Chinese position, there will be consensus also,” he said.
India’s sharp reaction came a day after China defended its decision to block the US-initiated proposal in the UN for designating Azhar as a global terrorist, saying the “conditions” have not yet been met for Beijing to back the move.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had also told a media briefing in Beijing that his government resorted to this move to allow the “relevant parties” to reach a consensus.
“We put out technical hold after we had several rounds of consultations with India. We hope relevant parties have enough time to consult with each other to make sure that the decision made by the Committee will be based on consensus representing the broad international community,” he said.
Swarup also said the proposal was submitted on January 19 after induction of four new members to the UN Security Council.
China has put a “hold” on the US-initiated proposal, which comes barely weeks after India’s bid to get Azhar banned by the UN was scuttled by Beijing last December. This has prompted India to take up the matter with the Chinese government.
Meanwhile, Reacting strongly, India today termed as “figment of imagination” Pakistan’s contention that it is building a secret nuclear city, saying it is a “diversionary tactic” to deflect attention from issues like Pak-sponsored terrorism and harbouring of terrorists.
“These are completely baseless allegations. The so-called secret city appears to be a figment of the Pakistan imagination. India has always been in compliance with all its international obligations. This is a very strange statement coming from a country that does not have a separation plan and has a strong record of proliferation which is well known to the world.
“India has very different credentials. So, clearly this shows a lack of comprehension. Furthermore, there is no doubt that this is a diversionary tactic by Pakistan which aims to deflect attention from the real issue at hand the continued state sponsorship of terrorism by Pakistan and its harbouring of internationally designated terrorists,” External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said.
He was asked about remarks by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria that “India is building a secret nuclear city… It has accumulated a stockpile of nuclear weapons which threatens to undermine the strategic balance of power in the region.”
Questioned about comments by Pakistan Planning and Development Minister of Pakistan Ahsan Iqbal regarding peace talks with India after the ongoing state assembly elections in five states, he said it is not state elections in India but state terrorism by Pakistan which has stood in the way of a peaceful bilateral dialogue.
“It is high time Pakistan gets the diagnosis of the problem right. It should not remain in denial on the impact of cross border terrorism on the bilateral relationship. Both the problem and its solution are within Pakistan’s reach,” Swarup said.
