Azhar act well-documented, burden of proof is not on India: Foreign secy
CAUTIOUS Jaishankar tells China its efforts to block moves to ban Jaish militant was political ... On Masood Azhar, we again explained the rationale for that application and pointed out that this was really pursued by other countries, not by India alone
India on Wednesday dismissed China’s contention that it has not furnished enough evidence against Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar, with foreign secretary S Jaishankar telling senior Chinese officials that the “burden of proof” is not on New Delhi and his actions were “well-documented”.
China’s efforts to block moves to sanction Azhar at the United Nations, despite its “principled” stand on counter-terrorism, was a political decision, he said.
The burden of proof is not on India, Jaishankar made it clear to senior Chinese officials. The international community is convinced of Azhar’s culpability and it was the US, UK and France which had moved the latest proposal at the UN Security Council to get the Jaish-e-Mohammad chief proscribed, he added.
“On the issue of 1267 Committee’s sanctions on Masood Azhar, we again explained the rationale for that application and pointed out that this was really pursued by other countries, not by India alone,” Jaishankar said, referring to the US’ application backed by the UK and France this year to designate Azhar as a global terrorist.
Jaishankar is leading a senior delegation of Indian diplomats to meet Chinese counterparts for the first round of the upgraded strategic dialogue amid an ongoing diplomatic chill and cautious optimism about a thaw in ties.
China has repeatedly blocked efforts at the UN Security Council’s 1267 committee to sanction Azhar, saying there is no consensus on the matter. Last week, China contended India is yet to provide “solid evidence” against Azhar. “Correct. There isn’t a consensus because China hasn’t joined it,” Jaishankar said at a briefing for Beijing-based Indian media.
Jaishankar said China’s principles on counter-terrorism, otherwise “unexceptionable”, were weighed down by procedural requirements, the political context in which it has taken place and the surety of the matter in context of Azhar.
Meanwhile, China called for enhanced communication with India to reduce the level of “strategic misunderstandings” between the two countries and expand cooperation.
Jaishankar ahead of the strategic dialogue, foreign minister Wang Yi said China attached great importance to the reconstituted and upgraded dialogue.
He said it will help increase strategic trust and cooperation.