India, Chi discuss terror, but no word on Azhar ban

New Delhi, Nov 5: India and Chi agreed to continue “the pace of high level exchanges” on subjects of mutual interest and concern, including counter-terrorism, during a meeting between tiol Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, an official statement said on Saturday. The statement was silent on whether the two sides had discussed issues related to India’s NSG membership or India’s move for a ban on Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar. Doval met with Yang, the Chinese State Councillor, on Friday in Hyderabad. It was Yang’s third visit to India in the last two months. “The discussions, conducted in a friendly, open and cordial environment, covered a wide agenda spanning bilateral, regiol and intertiol issues of mutual interest,” according to a Ministry of Exterl Affairs statement. “They agreed to maintain the pace of high level exchanges including in the political, economic, defence and counter-terrorism fields.”

However, there was no word if Doval raised the issues related to Chi hindering India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

The statement also didn’t mention if they discussed Chi’s vetoing of Indian efforts to get Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror outfit, banned by the United tions. “The two sides appreciated that 2016 is an important year for bilateral engagement with President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for BRICS Summit and PM Modi’s visit to Chi for G-20 Summit being the major highlights of high level exchanges. (IANS)