‘Act Cautiously’: China to US Over Resolution on Azhar in UNSC

China has accused the US of undermining the authority of the UN anti-terrorism committee.

Masood Azhar (left).

(Photo: Reuters)

China on Thursday, 28 March, accused the US of undermining the authority of the UN anti-terrorism committee by "forcefully moving" a resolution in the UNSC to list Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, saying America's move only "complicates" the issue.

The US, supported by France and the UK, has moved a draft resolution in the UN Security Council (UNSC) to blacklist the Pakistan-based terror group's chief, two weeks after China put a hold on a proposal to list Azhar under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.

Asked about the development, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a media briefing that Washington move only complicates the issue, as per PTI.

“This is not in line with resolution of the issue through dialogue and negotiations. This has reduced the authority of the Committee as a main anti-terrorism body of the UNSC and this is not conducive to the solidarity and only complicates the issue. We urge the US to act cautiously and avoid forcefully moving forward this resolution draft,”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang

Not Appropriate to Comment: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs, meanwhile, said that it was aware “that a draft has been initiated for consideration of Council members to list Azhar in the sanctions regime as part of international community's efforts to fight against terrorism”.

“Our views on Azhar, the founder-leader of the JeM which has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks on our citizens including the heinous attack on our paramilitary force personnel in Pulwama on 14 February, are well known,” the ministry said, in a statement.

“It will not be appropriate for us to comment at this stage on a process which is entirely within the parameters of informal discussion of the Council and its members,” it added.

(With inputs from PTI)