New Delhi: A day after, the United Nations designated Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, France welcomed the move.
It said the decision signalled the successful realisation of efforts to ban Azhar. After China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist him, the UN made the decision, which has come as a huge diplomatic victory for India.
Spokesperson of France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs said, “For many years now, French diplomacy has been relentlessly pleading for sanctioning Mr Azhar, head of the terrorist group responsible, notably, for the Pulwama attack last February…. This decision taken at the United Nations Security Council signals the successful realisation of our efforts.”
The official said France remained mobilised to take effective measures against terrorism and had on 15 March adopted national sanctions against Azhar in application of its Monetary and Financial Code.
In February days after the deadly Pulwama terror attack on the CRPF, France, UK and the US moved a proposal in the Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee and yesterday, China finally removed its hold on the proposal.
A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a “technical hold” and asking for “more time to examine” the proposal.