Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack

Highlights Mention of Jaish in UNSC statement does not represent a judgement: China

China didn't want name of Pak-based terror group in statement: Sources

UNSC statement contained specific language proposed by India: Sources

A day after it emerged that China did not want a reference to Jaish-e-Mohammed in the United Nations Security Council statement which strongly condemned the Pulwama terror attack, Beijing today tried to downplay it and said the mention of the Pakistan-based terror group does not represent a judgement and was only in "general terms".

"Yesterday, the UN Security Council issued a press statement that mentioned that a particular organisation but only in general terms. It does not represent a judgment on the attack," news agency PTI reported China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang as telling reporters in Beijing when asked about the statement highlighting the role of Jaish-e-Mohammed claiming the responsibility of the terror attack in which over 40 CRPF soldiers were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama last Thursday.

The statement of the UN Security Council - a body that comprises of 15 permanent and non-permanent members including China - said it condemns "in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in over 40 Indian paramilitary forces dead and dozens wounded on February 14, 2019, for which Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility."

The suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama last week killed 40 CRPF soldiers

Sources say the UN Security Council statement contained specific language proposed by India, which included naming Jaish-e-Mohammed and calling for calling for bringing the terrorists behind the attack to justice.

China, an "all weather" ally of Pakistan, had for six days opposed the statement from being issued, sources had said last night.

China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has over the years used its veto power to scuttle a move by India at the UN to put Jaish-e-Mohammed founder Masood Azhar on a global terror list.

However, in a major boost to New Delhi's efforts to get Jaish chief Masood Azhar on the list of global terrorists, France - also member of the permanent five of the UNSC - is expected to soon move a proposal in the Sanctions Committee. It will be the fourth such attempt at the UN in past 10 years. China has always blocked it.

With inputs from PTI