External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday told her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that China needs to cooperate with India’s campaign to declare Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of Pakistan-based Jaish E Mohammed, as a global terrorist through the UN Security Council’s 1267 Committee against terrorism.
“External Affairs Minister emphasised that as common victims of terrorism, China and India should cooperate in combating the challenge of terrorism. Both sides agreed to stay in touch in this matter (on the issue of Masood Azhar),” Vikas Swarup, Spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry said following a bilateral meeting between Mr Wang and Ms Swaraj in Moscow on the sideline of the trilateral Russia-India-China (RIC) ministerial meeting.
The discussion between the two foreign ministers was the first bilateral high-level contact almost a fortnight after China put a “technical hold” on India’s bid to declare Masood Azhar as a global terrorist through the 1267 Committee. Official sources had told The Hindu earlier that China’s attitude toward India’s campaign at the UN will be keenly observed over the coming months as the “technical hold” will automatically end India’s diplomatic bid against Masood Azhar if Beijing refuses to support India’s anti-terror campaign at the UN.
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India had reacted sharply and described China’s policy against global terrorism as incomprehensible after the UN bid against Azhar faced the “technical hold” from China.
However on Monday, both the foreign ministers reviewed the number of high level bilateral engagements that are planned for 2016. They noted that the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s first official visit to Beijing which began on Monday will usher in bilateral and multiplateral high level activities including the September G-20- meet in Hangzhou.