News Stories - 23 June 2006
North Korea Playing a Dangerous Game
Australia remains concerned about reports that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) may be preparing for a long-range missile launch. Such action would be highly provocative and would further isolate the DPRK.
At the Foreign Minister’s request, senior Australian officials have warned the North Korean Ambassador against a long range missile test and explained the serious consequences that would follow.
A long range missile test would damage DPRK interests, break commitments North Korea had made in the 19 September 2005 Statement of Principles and break bilateral agreements between Japan and the DPRK.
A test would also be inconsistent with the 1999 moratorium on long-range missile testing declared by Kim Jong-Il, which he reaffirmed in 2002. Any test would be another example of North Korea violating the international commitments it has made.
North Korea would be gravely mistaken if it thinks that a missile test would improve its bargaining position in the six-party talks and Australia has called upon the DPRK to return to these talks immediately and without condition.
Australia is working closely with likeminded countries to persuade North Korea not to proceed with a test, and to discuss an appropriately strong response should such a test occur.
Australia contributes to successful outcome at International Whaling Commission
Australia and other pro-conservation countries have succeeded to ensure continued protection for whales at 58th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC 58) in St Kitts and Nevis.
Australia, together with other pro-conservation countries (including New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States), successfully opposed all substantive proposals put forward by pro-whaling nations that aimed at bringing about a return to commercial whaling.
We defeated proposals
- to stop the IWC from considering small cetaceans (eg dolphins)
- to hold secret ballots at the IWC
- for commercial whaling quotas to be allocated for some Japanese coastal whaling
- to abolish the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary
Pro-whaling nations (including Japan, Iceland and Norway) managed to garner support to have a non-binding declaration adopted by a single vote, advocating a return to commercial whaling.
However, this toothless declaration has absolutely no effect on the workings of the IWC and we opposed it along with 31 other countries.
While pro-whalers might consider the declaration to be a symbolic win, it falls well short of the 75% of votes required to lift the moratorium on commercial whaling.
Australia will not rest in its efforts to convince other countries about the merits of the pro-conservation position.
Australia’s recent efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
The Australian Government remains committed to preventing, deterring and eliminating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The Australian Government is determined to address the illegal foreign fishing effort as part of the 2006-07 Budget.
The Government announced a package of measures worth an extra $388.9 million over four years for the enhancement of Australia’s maritime security programme and in particular Australia’s response to incursions by illegal foreign fishing vessels in its northern waters.
The package contains a series of wide-ranging measures including cooperative initiatives with Indonesia and the region, such as the continuation of a public information campaign, a Ministerial regional initiative on illegal, unreported and unregulated IUU fishing and funding for the Ministerially-led Task Force on IUU fishing on the High Seas.
Central to these arrangements will be an increase in enforcement capacity, effectively more than doubling apprehensions of illegal foreign fishing vessels each year. This will bring apprehension numbers to in excess of 700 vessels over the next year.
The Australian Government is in the process of amending Australia’s fisheries legislation to include jail sentences for foreign fishers caught fishing illegally in Australia’s Territorial Sea.
The proposed amendments will allow for jail terms of up to two or three years as well as substantial fines of up to $825,000, or both, for fault-based offences. Indonesian fisheries legislation includes similar provisions.
In the Southern Ocean, Australia’s presence on the water has recently been increased with the Government allocating $217.2 million over five years for a full-time vessel to conduct patrols in Australia’s Heard Island and Macdonald Island EEZ and, through a cooperative fisheries surveillance agreement with France, the French Kerguelen Island EEZ. Negotiations are nearing completion for a cooperative fisheries enforcement agreement with France.
Australia and partners contribute to halting the spread of chemical and biological weapons
The Australia Group (a group of 39 countries plus the European Commission, chaired by Australia) held its 21st annual plenary meeting in Paris from 12 to 15 June. The meeting furthered the Group’s aim of halting the spread of chemical and biological weapons through harmonising export controls on certain chemicals, biological agents and related equipment.
In response to the need to ensure that export controls keep pace with new and emerging threats, including from terrorists, participants at the Australia Group meeting shared information on the development and spread of new technologies posing a potential proliferation threat.
The plenary recognised the role of niobium as an increasingly key material in chemical manufacturing equipment suitable for the production of chemical weapons and agreed to introduce controls on such equipment made from niobium or niobium alloys.
Several biological agents capable of being used to produce biological weapons were added to control lists. The plenary also agreed to hold a seminar on brokering activities. Tighter controls on such activities would help to combat increasingly sophisticated procurement methods used by proliferators, including terrorists.
Participants agreed to explore the possibility of “labelling” controlled equipment to address the challenge of managing trade in second hand equipment.
The Australia Group welcomed the renewed mandate of the Committee established by UN Security Council Resolution 1540 and affirmed the Group’s commitment to support the Committee in promoting robust global implementation of export control systems.
The Group also agreed on outreach strategies for the coming year, as well as the expansion of information on controlled items contained in the Australia Group website in order to increase its usefulness as a reference tool for enforcement officers. The website is now available in all official UN languages.
The plenary also discussed controlling the transfer of know-how and technical information relevant to the production of chemical and biological weapons without impeding legitimate scientific research, and reiterated the commitment of participants to ensure that non-proliferation export controls did not hinder legitimate trade and technical cooperation in the chemical and biological sectors.
NAIDOC Week 2006: Government celebrating Indigenous cultures
NAIDOC activities will be held around Australia from 2-9 July 2006 celebrating Australian Indigenous culture, the contribution of Indigenous Australians to modern Australia and helping build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
“Respect the Past - Believe in the Future” is the theme for this year’s nation-wide NAIDOC celebrations of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The theme focuses on respecting, remembering, and celebrating Indigenous culture. It also promotes looking to the future with optimism, believing in young Indigenous people and recognising the need to harness their capabilities.
NAIDOC Week is celebrated not just in the Indigenous community, but also in various government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces.
Cairns, in northern Queensland, is the national focus city for this year’s celebrations.
Celebrations will culminate in an awards ceremony and the National Ball, held in Cairns on 8 July, where awards are given to Indigenous achievers in a number of categories.
NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’.
The committee was initially responsible for organizing national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has become the name of the week itself.
NAIDOC has its origins in the fight for Aboriginal rights that began to gather pace in the 1920s and 1930s, when various organizations were established to draw attention to the conditions of Australia’s Indigenous people.
The Australian Government continues to be the major funding contributor to NAIDOC Week, supporting national focus activities and community-based events.
Each year the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade commemorates NAIDOC Week with a range of activities throughout its global network, including a ceremony involving the raising of the Australian national, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags in Canberra.
Australian Indigenous art showcased in major new European museum
Australia’s largest ever international arts commission, focused on Australian Indigenous culture, will be showcased in the new AUD400 million Musee du Quai Branly in Paris, France - a museum dedicated to celebrating Indigenous (or non-Western) arts and cultures from around the world.
The French President opened the Musee du Quai Branly on June 20, bringing together some 300,000 art works and objects from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas, with around 3,500 on permanent display. The Australian Foreign Minister attended the inauguration.
The Australian Government has directly contributed AUD820,000 in support of the presentation of commissioned Australian Indigenous contemporary artwork in the museum, with a further contribution of AUD500,000 from the Harold Mitchell Foundation. This represents Australia’s largest ever international art commission.
The French President personally approached the Australian Government requesting the inclusion of Indigenous Australian art and, significantly, the works, incorporated into the architectural fabric of the building, are visible from outside day and night.
Eight Indigenous artists were invited to create site-specific public artworks, translating into 2500 square meters of permanent display and making Australian Indigenous art part of the architectural fabric of this major museum.
A further 40 paintings, 230 barks and over 1400 objects comprise the substantial Australian collection.
Over five million international visitors a year will see this selection of Australian Indigenous art.
This display of Indigenous art will leverage Australia’s international cultural profile and that of Australia’s Indigenous artists and their work.
News Stories - 16 June 2006
Australia disappointed at the release of Abu Bakar Ba’asyir
The Australian Government has expressed its deep disappointment at the release on 14 June of Abu Bakar Ba'asyir after serving his sentence for his role in the 2002 Bali bombings.
The Australian Government has urged the Indonesian Government to ensure appropriate monitoring of Ba’asyir is maintained to ensure he does not engage in or support further terrorist activities.
Ba'asyir's listing by the UNSC 1267 Committee means he is subject to specific international restrictions:
member states - including Indonesia - obliged to enforce restrictions - will severely limit his ability to do more harm
- his assets will be frozen
- providing funding to Ba'asyir will be prohibited
- not allowed to travel internationally
- not allowed to access weapons and military equipment.
Minister for Foreign Affairs to visit Europe 19-27 June
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, will visit Europe from 19-27 June. Mr Downer plans to meet with a number of key European interlocutors to discuss international security issues, attend the inauguration of the Musee du Quai Branly and the second France-Oceania Summit and represent the Australian Government at the 22 June FIFA World Cup Match.
Mr Downer is expected to discuss expanded United Nations engagement in East Timor, along with a range of other pressing international security issues, including Iran and Iraq, in meetings with the French Foreign Minister, the new UK Foreign and Defence Secretaries and other interlocutors, including the European Union, during a visit to France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Mr Downer will also emphasise the relevance of strategic developments in Asia-Pacific to global security and stability.
In Paris, Mr Downer will attend the inauguration of the Musee du Quai Branly for international indigenous arts and cultures, to which Australia has made a substantial and unique contribution. The works of eight Australian Indigenous artists have been incorporated into the architectural fabric of the Museum building in the largest overseas commission of Australian Indigenous art to date.
Mr Downer will also attend the second France-Oceania Summit, hosted by President Chirac, bringing together Pacific leaders and the Foreign Ministers from Australia and New Zealand to advance shared interests in economic growth, sustainable development and regional stability.
Mr Downer will open the new premises of the Australian Consulate-General in Frankfurt and meet with German and Australian business representatives to promote bilateral trade and investment opportunities. He will also represent the Government at the FIFA World Cup match between Australia and Croatia in Stuttgart on 22 June.
Australia steps up efforts to achieve conservation of whales
Australia steps up efforts to achieve conservation of whales at the 58th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC 58).
The Australian delegation, led by the Minister for the Environment, Senator Campbell, is currently attending IWC 58 in St Kitts and Nevis (16 – 20 June 2006).
Australia is working actively with other pro-conservation members at IWC 58 to:
- resist any move that could lead to a return to commercial whaling
- call for an end to ‘scientific whaling’ and recognise the benefits of non-lethal research techniques
- maintain transparency in the deliberations of the IWC
- maintain the work of the Commission on whale conservation issues
- acknowledge the benefits of whale sanctuaries and support the establishment of South Atlantic and South Pacific sanctuaries.
IWC 58 will be important for whale protection as the pro-whaling bloc may command a simple majority for the first time since the adoption of the moratorium on commercial whaling in 1985-86.
Australia is concerned about the potential outcomes of IWC 58 if the pro-whaling bloc is able to achieve a simple majority because pro-whaling states could use the simple majority to manipulate the IWC by adopting non-binding resolutions that are supportive of scientific or commercial whaling, instituting secret ballots and achieving more restrictive NGO and media participation in IWC proceedings.
Australia believes that full resumption of commercial whaling is unlikely as a three-quarter majority is required to lift the moratorium.
Australia supports biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region
Australia is working closely with governments, non-government organisations and communities to conserve biodiversity hotspots in South-East Asia and the Pacific region.
In February 2004 the Australian Government launched a $10 million Regional Natural Heritage Programme (RNHP) to assist regional countries to conserve biodiversity in biodiversity hotspots (areas with a high level of endemic plants that are threatened)
Priority countries for funding under the programme include East Timor, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Vietnam and Pacific island nations.
$6.2 million has been invested in the region to date on practical biodiversity conservation projects, including coral reef protection, protected area establishment, species conservation, environmental awareness raising and capacity building projects.
A new round of funding is now open. Those eligible to apply include organisations actively involved in biodiversity conservation projects in the region. Organisations are invited to submit applications for funding by 7 July 2006.
For further information on the RNHP, including on projects that have been supported, refer to: http://www.deh.gov.au/heritage/programs/index.html#rnhp.
Commemoration for Australia-Japan Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation
The 30th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan will be commemorated on 16 June 2006.
The Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, attended a commemorative reception held in Canberra on 15 June to mark the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan. The treaty was signed by Prime Ministers Malcolm Fraser and Takeo Miki on 16 June 1976.
In his speech, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his view that Australia has no closer partner and friend in Asia than Japan.
The Basic Treaty is the most comprehensive such agreement Australia has signed with any nation. It enshrines in formal and symbolic terms the friendship, community of interests and interdependence that exists between our two countries.
Australia has forged a partnership of the highest quality with Japan over the past thirty years, underpinned by a broad alignment of strategic, political and economic interests in the Asia-Pacific region.
Australia and Japan are both committed to the highest level of ambition in the future development of the relationship in all aspects.