Feb 20 () The Saudi Arabia-Pakistan joint statement calling for avoiding "politicisation" of the UN listing regime was not directed at India's efforts to get JeM chief Masood Azhar banned by the global body, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir said on Wednesday, asserting that anyone involved in terror should be proscribed and punished.
In an exclusive interview to PTI, the Saudi Foreign Minister also said his country will "consider playing a role" to mediate and de-escalate tension between India and Pakistan if both countries want.
He rejected suggestions that the Pak-Saudi statement during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to Islamabad on Monday was against India's push to get Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, which has also claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack, listed as "global terrorist".
"Any person who is a terrorist should be designated. The idea was to ensure that there is no politicisation so that people don't throw names of their political opponents as terrorists. We should not be careless about throwing names of those who are not terrorists," he said. "I think people here assumed that the joint (Pakistan-Saudi) statement had to do with one particular individual (Azhar). It did not. The intention was that the process of designation is clear and not political," Al-Jubeir, who is here with the Saudi Crown Prince, said.
The minister said his country follows a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and that "anyone who supports and finances the menace must be designated and must be punished". Asked about rising tension between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama attack, he said Saudi Arabia believes that both countries can de-escalate and resolve issues peacefully.
"We hope tension between India and Pakistan will not escalate. You have wise leadership in both the countries represented by respective Prime Ministers. I believe they will be able to find a way to de-escalate," he said. On whether Saudi Arabia will try to mediate between the two countries, he said "We will not involve ourselves into the tensions between India and Pakistan without being invited by both the countries."
He further said,"we have good relations with both countries and if both want us to play some kind of a role, we would consider it." On whether Saudi Arabia will intervene if India and Pakistan comes close to some kind of military confrontation, the Saudi Foreign Minister said the whole world will step-in in such a scenario.
"Nobody wants to see armed conflict between two nuclear powers. Nobody benefits except terrorists. I believe the leadership recognises it. It is our hope that issues can be resolved peacefully," he said.
On Pulwama attack, the Saudi Foreign Minister said it was important that those who committed this terrible terrorist act be held accountable and brought to justice. PTI