India expresses dismay over China'a reluctance to change stand on NSG, Masood Azhar

Beijing on Monday said that China will not change its stand on two key issues of NSG membership bid and getting JeM chief Masood Azhar designated as terrorist, the China reluctace on two important issues is seen hitting the India's diplomatic relationship.

"As for India's application for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and listing issue pursuant to resolution of 1267 (to list Masood as terrorist), China's position remains unchanged," said China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang.His assertion that China's stand remains unchanged on both NSG and 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 Azhar banned by the UN. China's second 'technical hold' on Azhar's banning in UN is due to expire at the end of this month and the two countries are in talks on both the NSG and Azhar issues.

Officials in Beijing  are not clear about the complex process ofthe UN 1267 committee where China, a veto-wielding member, hasblocked India's application twice already, while the rest ofthe members supported it. On Jaishankar's remarks that China should respect eachother's legitimate aspirations, Geng said as major developingcountries it is natural that two countries need not see eye toeye on every issue. "Thanks to the concerted efforts of China and India thestrategic cooperation between the two sides have made allround progress," he said.

"The two sides have been moving toward establishing a moreclosely knit strategic partnership for cooperation. As twomajor developing countries it is only natural for us to notsee eye to eye on all issues, but the mainstream of thebilateral 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 theIndian side to expand bilateral mutual beneficial cooperationand manage differences based on consensus reached by leadersof both countries, he said. On the US Congress clearing the decks for India to becomea Major Defence Partner of America, 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.