China's failure to designate Masood Azhar would run counter to goal of regional stability: US

The United states has said China's failure to back the listing of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad(JeM) chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) can impact regional stability and peace.

Replying to a question at the State Department presser, deputy spokesperson of State Department Robert Palladino said,"United States and China share a mutual interest in achieving regional stability and peace, and that a failure to designate Azhar would run counter to this goal".

He also said that Azhar meets the criteria for designation by the United Nations and both United States and India are working "closely together" on counterterrorism efforts, and that includes at the United Nations.

Palladino said, "JeM is a United Nations-designated terrorist group. Azhar is the founder and the leader of JeM, and he meets the criteria for designation by the United Nations. JeM has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks and is a threat to regional stability and peace."

China has been reluctant in declaring Azhar as an international terrorist and has blocked his listing at United Nation's Security Council's 1267 committee three times - 2009, 2016 and 2017.

Azhar's JeM has already been listed under the UN terror list. Jaish was responsible for the deadly Pulwama attack on 14th February that killed more than 40 CRPF personnel.

France, UK, US proposed the listing of Azhar on the UN terror list with Russia also backing the move.