New Delhi, Mar 15 (UNI) India on Friday said it has secured an unprecedented support from the international community for listing of Pakistan based JeM chief Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions Committee and said this shows there was no 'diplomatic failure' on that front.
'We have secured an unprecedented support from the international community for listing of Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions Committee,' External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said taking to micro-blogging site Twitter.
Her statement came after France in a major display of solidarity on the issue of fighting terror, announced that it will "freeze" all assets of Masood Azhar in application of the country's Monetary and Financial Code.
The French government also said it will urge other European partners to include Masood Azhar on the European Union list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts.
Referring to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's attack on the government on the supposed diplomatic failure, she said India was alone in 2009 but in 2019, India has the world wide support.
'I have shared these facts with you so that leaders who describe this as our diplomatic failure may see for themselves that in 2009, India was alone. In 2019, India has the world wide support,' she said in a series of tweets.
'In 2019, the proposal was moved by USA, France and UK and supported by 14 of the 15 UN Security Council Members and also co-sponsored by Australia, Bangladesh, Italy and Japan - non members of the Security Council,' she said.
'I wish to apprise you of the facts regarding listing of Masood Azhar under the United Nations Sanctions Committee. The proposal has been mooted four times.
'In 2009, India under the UPA Government was the lone proposer. In 2016, India's proposal was co-sponsored by USA, France and UK.
'In 2017, USA,UK and France moved the proposal,' the External Affairs Minister said.
Earlier in the day, the French government's Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, said - "France has always been and always will be by India’s side in the fight against terrorism. France has decided to sanction Masood Azhar at the national level by freezing his assets in application of the Monetary and Financial Code".
UNI RSA-DEVN 1603