‘Outlier’ China blocking NSG bid, says US

Washington, January 15

The outgoing Obama Administration has lashed out at China for blocking India from becoming a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group by describing the Communist giant as an “outlier” in its effort to bring Delhi on board the elite grouping.

“Clearly there is one outlier that needs to be addressed and that is China,” Nisha Desai Biswal, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said in an interview. The US statement comes a week ahead of the Obama administration passing on the baton to the Trump administration.

“The (US) President (Barack Obama) has been very clear and unequivocal that he believes India has met the criteria for NSG, and that the US supports India’s entry,” she said.

Declare Azhar ultra: France

New Delhi: Days after China blocked India’s proposal in the UN, the world body’s key member France has pitched for designating Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist, saying there are “very strong arguments in favour” of such a move. — PTI