AUSTRALIA GROUP Mr Ian McConville Director, Nuclear Policy Section - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

IMPLEMENTING THE CWC AND THE AUSTRALIA GROUP

Mr Ian McConville Director, Nuclear Policy Section Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch International Security Division

THE PROLIFERATION THREAT

• States have inadvertently contributed to illicit trade in

sensitive goods used to make WMD or their delivery systems.

• Illicit procurers act like criminals who will look for the

weakest link.

• Normal trade can be exploited by those who would

proliferate WMD.

• Financial systems can also be exploited.
• The CWC is foundational in setting the basic standard for

States in countering-proliferation.

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THE CW PROLIFERATION CONTEXT

• The OPCW-UN Joint

Investigative Mechanism found that the Syrian Government was responsible for three and ISIL for one chemical weapons attack.

• CW is still a significant problem

for the international community.

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CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION

• Aims to eliminate an entire category of WMD.
• By prohibiting the development, production, acquisition,

stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties.

• States Parties have also agreed to create a verification

regime for certain toxic chemicals and their precursors to ensure that such chemicals are only used for purposes not prohibited.

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HOW DOES AUSTRALIA FULFIL ITS CWC OBLIGATIONS?

• Measures to account for and control items.
• Physical protection measures.
• Border controls.
• Law enforcement.
• Export and transhipment controls.
• Cooperation with other States.
• Membership and leadership of international architecture,

including export control regimes. –E.g. the Australia Group.

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AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK

• Australia is a member of the four major export control

regimes: –Nuclear Suppliers Group – nuclear weapons; –Missile Technology Control Regime – ballistic missiles; –Wassenaar Arrangement – conventional weapons; and –The Australia Group –chemical and biological weapons.

• Australia is the permanent chair of the Australia Group.

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WHAT IS THE AUSTRALIA GROUP?

• The Australia Group (AG) is an informal forum of 42

participants, which through the harmonisation of export controls is seeking to ensure their exports do not contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons.

• Helps States meet their international obligations:

–Chemical l Weapons Con

• nvention;

–Biological Weapons Convention; and –United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540.

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AUSTRALIA GROUP ORIGINS

• In 1984 the world discovered Iraq had produced and used

chemical weapons.

• Australia Group was created in 1985 to stop legitimate

trade being diverted to chemical weapons production.

• In the early 1990s UN

investigations discovered that Iraq had a biological weapons program.

• Consequently, export

controls were expanded to include biological weapons.

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PROMOTE EXPORT CONTROLS

• The Australia Group encourages all countries to

implement measures similar to AG controls to limit the spread of CBW.

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AUSTRALIA GROUP ENGAGEMENT

• Engagement with:

–non-members countries –industry –academia –civil society

• Highlighting the threat of

state and non-state actors acquiring chemical/biological weapons.

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THE AUSTRALIA GROUP IN ASIA

• Many countries in the region already implement or are

looking to implement AG or AG-type controls.

• Exporting countries look positively on recipient states

that have export control arrangements.

• High-technology companies are more likely to invest in

states that have robust export control arrangements.

• The AG has undertaken outreach to a number of Asian

countries:

• 2016: Hong Kong and Taipei.
• 2015: Kazakhstan, Thailand and Vietnam.
• 2014: Indonesia, India, Singapore, Myanmar, Taipei and the Philippines

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AUSTRALIA GROUP INTERSESSIONAL 2017

• The AG Intersessional was 14 – 16 February in Buenos

Aires and the key takeaways were:

• Discussion around how best to meet modern challenges:

–Unmanned Aerial Delivery Systems etc.

• Australia Group Dialogue including outreach to a number
• f Latin American countries:

–Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

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HOW THE AG SUPPORTS THE CWC?

• Guidelines.
• Control Lists and Dual-use Items Lists.
• Denials.
• Promotion - The AG encourages all countries to

implement measures similar to AG controls to limit the spread of CBW.

• Harmonising Controls and Enforcement

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AUSTRALIA GROUP ASSISTANCE

• The Australia Group Chair and Secretariat can assist with:
• Providing information about the Australia Group.
• Facilitating specific requests for practical technical

assistance.

• Facilitating contacts with export control experts in

Australia Group countries.

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AUSTRALIA GROUP ASSISTANCE

• Australia Group Secretariat can be contacted:
• through any Australian Embassy or
• through email to annette.berriman@dfat.gov.au.
• Australia Group website
• www.australiagroup.net
• in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Russian

and Spanish

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