Srinagar: Beijing on Monday emphasised “responsible and serious discussions” as diplomacy picked pace ahead of the date for UN Security Council’s sanctions committee to take up a fresh resolution for listing of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.
“China will continue to communicate and work with relevant parties in a responsible manner so as to properly resolve this matter. Only by making a decision through responsible and serious discussions can we resolve the issue in a sustainable manner,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a media briefing in Beijing while responding to a query about China’s position on the issue, Dawn reported.
China has thrice in the past blocked on technical grounds bids for designation of Azhar as a terrorist by the UNSC. The United States, the United Kingdom and France have once again moved for Azhar’s listing after Feb 14 Pulwama attack, which was claimed by JeM. The resolution moved on Feb 28 has to be taken up by the 1267 Sanctions Committee by March 13.
According to Kang, Beijing sees recent escalation between India and Pakistan as “not conducive to the peace and stability in South Asia” and it mediated to defuse the situation. “In our exchanges of views on regional situation, the security issue features in our discussion with Indian and Pakistan. We have had extensive and in-depth talks with both sides,” he said in a reference to China discussing Azhar listing with both sides. IANS
