China again blocks US move to ban Masood Azhar, India disappointed

China on Thursday again stymied India's efforts to impose an international ban on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar by vetoing a US resolution at the UN.

"Due to the lack of consensus at the UNSC committee, the application seeking a ban on Masood Azhar has been rejected," a Chinese Foreign Ministry official told IANS.

This is the second time Beijing has vetoed the proposal which was first moved by India at the Al Qaida Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council in March last year.

It did the same to a US proposal backed by France and Britain, first blocking it in January and then put a technical hold for three months in August. New resolution will have to be moved now.

China has cited lack of consensus among the 15-members of the UNSC and no solid proof against the Jaish-e-Mohammad chief who is accused of plotting the deadly attack on an Indian airbase.

India says only China is not in favour of branding Azhar as an international terrorist.

China is one of the five veto-holding members and its vote for or against the resolution is decisive.

Action against Azhar has become a contentious issue between China and India, though the former agreed to include Azhar's outfit in the joint statement issued by BRICS members at their summit in China.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry had indicated on Monday that it will block the US resolution.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Monday the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council was still in disagreement over approving the application.

"As for the listing application by the relevant country, there are disagreements. China put the technical hold to allow more time to deliberate on this matter," Hua had said.

"To our regret, the committee so far has yet to reach consensus," she had added.

India expresed "deep disappointment" with China's decision to block consensus on the listing of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the UN-designated list of international terrorists.

"We are deeply disappointed that once again, a single country has blocked international consensus on the designation of an acknowledged terrorist and leader of UN-designated terrorist organization, Masood Azhar," External Affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"India strongly believes that double standards and selective approaches will only undermine the international community's resolve to combat terrorism," he said.

"We can only hope that there will be a realisation that accommodating with terrorism for narrow objectives is both short sighted and counter productive."

A Chinese Foreign Ministry official told IANS in Beijing on Thursday that due to the lack of consensus at the UN Security Council committee, the application seeking a ban on Azhar has been rejected.

This is the second time Beijing has vetoed the proposal which was first moved by India at the Al Qaida Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council in March last year.

It did the same to a US proposal backed by France and Britain, first blocking it in January and then put a technical hold for three months in August. A new resolution will have to be moved now.