File photo of Masood Azhar.
The Sino-Indian deadlock over a UN ban on Pathankot attack mastermind Masood Azhar and others may end if India resubmits its application focusing on evidence against him than attempting to "censure" Pakistan, BJP lawmaker Subramanian Swamy today said after talks with Chinese officials.
"My impression is that India can expect cooperation from China on the issue of declaring Masood Azhar, leader of Jaish-e-Muhammad, as terrorist who should face trial in India, if India in the UN concentrated more on him than seeking to censure Pakistan as a sponsor of terror," Mr Swamy told Press Trust of India.
Mr Swamy, who is in Beijing on a pilgrimage to Kailash-Manasarovar in Tibet, said he is visiting China in an individual capacity as an "old friend" but with the knowledge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior ministers of his cabinet.
The BJP leader said "as a tactical move it would (be) prudent (to) resubmit the complaint in UN which was blocked after China put a technical hold."
"Based on what I learnt here, I will be very surprised if China continues to obstruct once it is limited to hard evidence," said Mr Swamy after meeting Wang Guo Qing, Director of the foreign affairs committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee, and Wu Hailong, President of the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA).
He said the application submitted by India in UN was more Pakistan-centric than Azhar. "I think for the limited purpose it was submitted which was to get UN sanctions, the report should be resubmitted," he said.
"I assume the Chinese would find it difficult to say no, once the report is limited to hard evidence. In fact it would (be a) good idea if there is pre-UN trilateral consultation between India, China and Pakistan," he said.
China, which previously blocked India's attempts to get a UN ban on Mumbai terror attack mastermind and LeT commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, also put a hold on listing of Azhar as global terrorist for his role in the Pathankot attack.
The issue has cast a shadow on bilateral ties as India has expressed disappointment over China's actions while the two countries are seeking a way out to end the impasse. The issue also figured in the just concluded visit of President Pranab Mukherjee.
Mr Swamy suggested India, China and Pakistan trilateral talks to address the issues of cross border terrorism. He said Prime Minister Modi is working hard to resume dialogue with Pakistan, but the "problem is that we can only talk to the constitutional authority in Pakistan which is the Prime Minister, who do not seem to have a final word. The army seems to have veto along with the ISI and Mullahs."
"China being a friend of Pakistan can help peace in South Asia by encouraging the constitutional authorities to assert their authority. If China convenes a tripartite meeting on India-China-Pakistan on issue of terrorism because terrorism from Pakistan is no longer a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan any more. It is also trilateral issue as terrorists from Pakistan also go to (Muslim-majority) Xinjiang," he said.