US says failure to list Masood Azhar as global terrorist against regional stability, peace

Washington, Mar 14: Outraged over China blocking for the fourth time a move to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist, the US said that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar meets the criteria to brand him as a "global terrorist" by the UN and China's opposition to the move to "update" the designation list went against the interests of Washington and Beijing in achieving regional stability and peace.

State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino's significant remarks came on the eve of a crucial decision by the UN Security Council on listing Azhar as a global terrorist.

The US and India work closely together on counterterrorism efforts, and that includes at the United Nations, he added, noting that their views on the JeM and its founder are well known.

However, he refrained from making a direct comment on the deliberations inside the UN on this issue.

US Embassy Spokesperson said,''As UN sanctions committee deliberations are confidential, we don't comment on specific matters, but we will continue working with the sanctions committee to ensure that the designations list is updated and accurate.''

''With respect to China, the United States and China share a mutual interest in achieving regional stability and peace, and a failure to designate Masood Azhar runs counter to this goal, the Embassy Spokesperson further said.

The JeM had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attacks in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

In the aftermath of the Pulwama terrorist attack, three permanent members of Security Council - the US, France and the UK - had moved a resolution to designate Azhar a glocal terrorist.

In yet another setback to India's bid to designate Azhar as a global terrorist, China put a technical hold on the proposal in the UN Security Council to ban him. A diplomat at the UN told PTI that China put a "technical hold".

India had expressed disappointment soon after China blocked yet another move at the United Nations to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist".

In its reaction, the External Affairs Ministry said India will continue to pursue all available avenues to ensure that leaders of terror groups involved in heinous attacks on Indian citizens are brought to justice.

The US and India work closely together on counterterrorism efforts, and that includes at the United Nations, he added, noting that their views on the JeM and its founder are well known.