The US, backed by France and the UK, has moved a draft resolution directly to the 15-member UN Security Council seeking to declare the head of the Pakistan-based Jaish, Masood Azhar, as a global terrorist and subjecting him to an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze. This is the first time the US, the UK and France have moved a draft resolution directly in the Security Council to blacklist Azhar. The earlier proposals were put before the Sanctions Committee.
Four earlier attempts to get Azhar listed by the UNSC under the council’s Resolution 1267 Concerning Al-Qaida and the Taliban and associated individuals and entities were put on technical hold by China, the last one was on March 13.
If the council decides to vote on this as a procedural matter, a negative vote cast by a permanent member does not invalidate a decision.
The JeM has claimed responsibility for the February 14 suicide bomb attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, Kashmir, killing over 40 troopers.
On Thursday, responding to question on the US proposal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said America’s move undermined the UN council’s anti-terror committee and only “complicates” the issue.
“The US is bypassing the 1267 Committee by putting forward its draft resolution directly to the Security Council. Such an act will do nothing to facilitate a solution through consultation and will only lead to further complication of the issue. It has undermined the authority of the 1267 Committee as a main counter-terrorism agency at the Security Council and is not conducive to upholding the unity of the Security Council,” Geng said.
“China urges the US to respect the will and efforts of parties to the issue and observe traditions of the Security Council to safeguard the 1267 Committee’s authority and the Security Council’s unity. We hope the US will by all means exercise prudence and refrain from forceful actions.” New Delhi, while admitting it was “aware that a draft has been initiated for consideration of Council members to list Masood Azhar in the sanctions regime as part of international community’s efforts to fight against terrorism,” said that “It will not be appropriate for us to comment at this stage on a process which is entirely within the parameters of informal discussion of the Council and its members.
Two types of resolutions
At UN, there are two types of resolutions, procedural and ‘substantive’ or non procedural
Decisions of the Security Council are usually made by an affirmative vote of nine or more of the 15 members
On procedural matters, a negative vote does not invalidate a decision if there are nine affirmative votes
In the case of a ‘substantive’ decision, it requires votes of all permanent members
In Most procedural decisions such as the adoption of the agenda or an invitation to an individual to participate in Council meetings have been arrived at by consensus