New Delhi:
China, which blocked a bid from India to designate Abdul Rauf Asghar, one of the masterminds of the 1998 IC 814 hijacking, as a global terrorist, said Saturday it needs more time to “carefully evaluate” the proposal. , while claiming to oppose terrorism in all forms.
Asghar, brother of Pakistan-based JeM terrorist Masood Azhar, is accused of masterminding a number of terror attacks.
India and the United States wanted Azhar to be designated an international terrorist by the UN Security Council, but China, a permanent veto-holding member and a close ally of Pakistan, blocked the move.
“China participates constructively and responsibly in the work of committees, in accordance with committee rules and procedures. Members of the committee can suspend the list of terrorist designations, this is a common practice. The Chinese side needs more time to and this will be carried out in accordance with the relevant rules and procedures,” Chinese envoy Sun Weidong told reporters.
However, he added that “China is ready to work with all countries in the world to combat the threat of international terrorism”.
Weidong claimed that China “strongly opposes” terrorism in all its forms.” Weidong was asked by journalists to clarify the neighboring country’s stance on the issue.
In an answer to another question, Weidong said the situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was stable. “China is conducting all activities at the border in accordance with agreements signed between India and China. I have no specific information about any movement; the situation at the border is stable at the moment,” he said in response to a question about reports on military and air traffic. force activity near the LAC.
The proposal to designate Asghar as an international terrorist was put forward by India and the US in the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee 1267.
India and the United States wanted Asghar to be classified as a global terrorist and subject to a global travel ban and asset freeze. The proposal required the agreement of all members of the 15-member UN Security Council.
On August 11, as many as 14 members of the UN Security Council voted to impose sanctions on Asghar, but China blocked the move. It was widely believed that China had taken the step, as Pakistan is one of its closest allies.
On Tuesday, Ruchira Kamboj, India’s permanent representative to the United Nations, in a clear reference to China, said the practice of listing and blocking terrorist requests without providing any justification must end.
Ms Kamboj made these remarks during the UNSC debate on threats to international peace and security posed by terrorist acts.
China has repeatedly suspended the list of Pakistan-based terrorists under the UN Security Council’s Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee and ISIL. Earlier in June, India slammed China after it blocked a proposal to include terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki on the Sanctions Committee, also known as the UN Security Council 1267 Committee.
Ms Kamboj said India has suffered from the threat of terrorism for decades and has learned to face this threat with determination and determination.
“We hope the international community will be united in addressing this threat to humanity with zero tolerance,” she added.