New Delhi:
Shunning India’s request to support the pending application in the United Nations to list Pakistan-based JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, China on Tuesday made it clear that there was no change in its position on the matter.
During the first India-China high-level meeting on bilateral security cooperation between the Asian superpowers, India had asked China to support its request to designate Azhar an international terrorist by the UN.
When asked about India’s request, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that she will have to check the details of the meeting was co-chaired by Union Home Minister Rajanth Singh and China’s Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi.
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“As per to India’s request for the listing of Masood (Azhar) we already stated our position for many times,” PTI quoted Hua as saying.
Hua said that China had always made its decisions and judgments on the merits of the matter, adding that it will continue stepping up the security cooperation to maintain the regional peace and stability.
“We have always made our decisions and judgements on the merits of the matter itself. We will continue to step up the security cooperation to uphold the regional peace and stability with parties,” she said.
Azahar, a dreaded terrorist is believed to be the mastermind of several attacks in India over the years, including the 2016 Uri attack in Kashmir which left 17 Army personnel dead. He always finds the support of the Pakistani establishment and lately, China has also been throwing its weight behind him by blocking India’s bid to designate him a global terrorist.
China cites lack of consensus among the members of the Council to block India’s efforts to designate him has blocked India’s efforts to designate under the Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.
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Besides Azhar, China has also been providing shelter to hard-line United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) leader Paresh Baruah. India has also asked the country to stop interfering in its internal affairs.
However, the Chinese spokesperson denied the reports of India’s request regarding Baruah and said, “I shall stress that the Chinese government has always adhered to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. This remains unchanged.”
