No change in stand on India’s NSG membership, Masood Azhar: China

BEIJING, Dec. 12: India’s diplomatic efforts to get China’s support for its Nuclear Suppliers Group or NSG membership bid and getting Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the United Nations seems to be making no headway, with Beijing today saying its stand on the two key issues “remains unchanged”.

“As for India’s application for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and listing issue pursuant to resolution of 1267 (to list Masood Azhar a UN-designated terrorist), China’s position remains unchanged,” China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said at a media briefing.

His assertion that China’s stand remains unchanged on both NSG and Masood Azhar issues was made while answering a question on Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar’s remarks at an India-China think tank forum in New Delhi last week when he said China should not give a political colour to New Delhi’s efforts to access civilian nuclear technology.
Jaishankar had also expressed dismay over the two countries not being able to come together on the issue of “fundamentalist terrorism” at critical international forums, a reference to China blocking India’s bid to get Masood Azhar banned by the UN.

China’s second ‘technical hold’ on Masood Azhar’s banning in UN is due to expire at the end of this month and the two countries have discussed both the NSG and Azhar issues.

Officials in Beijing are not clear about the complex process of the UN 1267 committee where China, a veto-wielding member, has blocked India’s application twice already, while the rest of the members supported it.

On Jaishankar’s remarks that China should respect each other’s legitimate aspirations, Geng said as major developing countries it is natural that two countries need not see eye to eye on every issue.

“Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and India the strategic cooperation between the two sides have made all round progress,” he said.

“The two sides have been moving toward establishing a more closely knit strategic partnership for cooperation. As two major developing countries it is only natural for us to not see eye to eye on all issues, but the mainstream of the bilateral relationship is cooperation and the two of us are staying in communication on relevant issues,” he said.

The Chinese side is looking to work together with the Indian side to expand bilateral mutual beneficial cooperation and manage differences based on consensus reached by leaders of both countries, he said.

On the US Congress clearing the decks for India to become America’s ‘Major Defence Partner’, Mr Geng gave a guarded reaction saying that both America and India are important countries.

“We welcome normal state to state relationship between different countries. We hope that the bilateral relationship and cooperation will be conducive to regional peace and development,” he said.