Reports of China blocking ban on Masood Azhar misleading: Envoy

KOLKATA: China's Consul General in Kolkata Ma Zhanwu today described as "misleading" the reports that Beijing was blocking an attempt to declare mastermind of the Pathankot attack Maulana Masood Azhar as a UN-designated global terrorist.

"Reports saying that China is blocking the move to declare Masood Azhar as a global terrorist are misleading. China does not block. There are some technical problems between India and Pakistan. We encourage both Pakistan and India to engage in negotiations to sort out the matter," Zhanwu said.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a session at MCCI here.

The Chinese envoy said his country was "strongly opposed" to all types of terrorism and supports the international stand on counter-terrorism.

"It is misleading to say that China is blocking the move to declare JeM chief Azhar as a global terrorist," he said.

He also dismissed the notion that China was opposing India's entry into the Nuclear Supplier's Group ( NSG).

"The notion that China is against India's entry into NSG is not right. India and China are working together in this regard," he claimed, adding that entry of any country into the NSG "needs certain procedures which are to be followed. It is not that simple".