Beijing: China on Thursday blocked another bid by the US, France and the UK to list Pakistan-based JeM chief and Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN.
It rejected the move saying that there was no consensus.
"China has rejected the move as there is no consensus," sources in the Chinese Foreign Ministry told PTI.
The comment came as the China's technical hold on a proposal by the US, France and Britain to list Azhar as a global terrorist was set to lapse on Thursday.
The official's comment indicates that China will veto the application in the 1267 Committee of the UN Security Council to allow it to lapse.
When China earlier blocked move to designate Azhar as global terrorist:
A veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, China has repeatedly blocked India's move to put a ban on the JeM chief under the al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Council.
In February this year, China had asked India to provide 'solid evidence' to back efforts to get JeM chief banned by the UN.
The then Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang had said at a press briefing, "Our criteria is only one, we need solid evidence. If there is solid evidence the application can be approved. If there is no solid evidence there is hardly a consensus."
China had in August extended by three months it's technical hold on the proposal to list Azhar as a global terrorist by the UN after having blocked the move in February this year at the United Nations.
This is the second year in succession that China has blocked the resolution.
Last year, China had done the same to stall India's application before the same Committee.
China in the past had asked India to discuss the issue directly with Pakistan in order to reach an understanding of Azhar's listing.
Last year in March, China was the only member in the 15- nation UN organ to put a hold on India's application with all other 14 members of the Council supporting New Delhi's bid to place Azhar on the 1267 sanctions list that would subject him to an assets freeze and travel ban.
(With Agency inputs)
