International negotiations can be said to have a perfect conclusion when all parties walk back from the talks table with demonstrable gains. The UN Security Council’s listing of Masood Azhar as a ‘global terrorist’ earlier this month exemplifies how successful negotiations can work.
The decision of the council members was based on consideration of bilateral, regional and international issues. Irrespective of their ties with Pakistan, none of the 15 members wanted to push the diplomatic envelope any further than what could damage their own international standings, especially vis-a-vis their resolve to fight global terrorism.
Other factors could also have played a role in building the consensus on Masood Azhar, the founder of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed. The JeM had claimed responsibility for the February 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 CRPF jawans and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of a war. That is a scenario that most UNSC members, along with the larger international...
