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Australia expels two Russian diplomats over UK nerve agent attack Australia expels two Russian diplomats over 'brazen' UK nerve agent attack
(about 7 hours later)
Australia will expel two Russian diplomats as part of global action against Moscow over an alleged nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy living in the UK.Australia will expel two Russian diplomats as part of global action against Moscow over an alleged nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy living in the UK.
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, issued a joint statement on Tuesday saying two Russian “diplomats” had been identified as undeclared intelligence officers and would be ordered to leave Australia within seven days. The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the foreign minister, Julie Bishop, made the announcement in Canberra on Tuesday, saying two Russian “diplomats” had been identified as undeclared intelligence officers and would be ordered to leave Australia within seven days.
Australia joins more than 20 western countries in expelling more than 100 Russian diplomats alleged to be spies in the wake of the alleged use of a chemical weapon in the attempted murder of a former Russian intelligence official, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury on 4 March. Turnbull said Russia’s alleged use of a chemical weapon to try to murder a former Russian intelligence official, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury on 4 March reflected a pattern of “recklessness and aggression” by the Russian government that had to be stopped.
It is the largest coordinated diplomatic blow to Russian intelligence networks in the west since the cold war. He said the “brazen” and “criminal” attack was an attack “on all of us”, and declared Russia was threatening no less than the “democratic world” by deliberately undermining the international rules-based order.
“This decision reflects the shocking nature of the attack – the first offensive use of chemical weapons in Europe since world war II, involving a highly lethal substance in a populated area, endangering countless other members of the community,” Turnbull and Bishop said. He said Australia could not stand by and watch the sovereignty of its allies breached. “This latest incident has demanded a response and has received a concerted international response from the United Kingdom’s allies and partners around the world,” he said. “To do nothing would only encourage further efforts to undermine the international rules-based order upon which our security and prosperity rely.
“It takes into account advice from the UK government that the substance used on 4 March was a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. Such an attack cannot be tolerated by any sovereign nation. “It reflects a pattern of recklessness and aggression by the Russian government, including the annexation of Crimea, the invasion of eastern Ukraine, the downing of MH17, cyber attacks and efforts to manipulate western nations’ elections.
“We strongly support the call on Russia to disclose the full extent of its chemical weapons program in accordance with international law.” “There are credible reports that Russia was actively undermining the credibility of the Brexit referendum, last year’s presidential elections in France, and Catalonia’s referendum in Spain, and in the United States, one of the oldest and formidable democracies in the world, debate is raging about whether Russian intelligence operations may have tipped the presidential election.
Labor’s leader, Bill Shorten, said he supported the decision. “The foreign minister and I want to stress that Australia has no dispute with the Russian people. Indeed, today, we offer our condolences for the devastating fire that has killed scores of people in a shopping centre in a Siberian city. This is about the actions of the Russian government,” he said.
Turnbull and Bishop said the attack was part of a pattern of “reckless and deliberate conduct” by the Russian state that constituted a growing threat to international security, global non-proliferation rules against the use of chemical weapons, the rights of other sovereign nations, and the international rules-based order that underpins them. The move comes after more than 20 western countries expelled more than 100 Russian diplomats alleged to be spies in the largest coordinated diplomatic blow to Russian intelligence networks in the west since the cold war.
They said Australia had had sanctions in place since 2014 in response to Russia’s threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and Australia was still trying to bring to justice those responsible for the downing of MH17. Turnbull and Bishop said the attempted murder was the first offensive use of chemical weapons in Europe since the second world war and involved a highly lethal substance in a populated area, endangering countless other people.
They said Australia would “vigorously back” the UK’s full investigation of the nerve agent attack, and Australia remained committed to acting with its allies and partners to deter Russia’s actions where they were a threat to international security. They said the expulsion took into account advice from the UK government that the substance used on 4 March was a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. Such an attack could not be tolerated by any sovereign nation, they said.
Bishop said: “The last time diplomats were expelled from this country was in 2012 when two Syrian diplomats were expelled because of the use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons.”
Turnbull said he expected the Russian government to expel a number of Australian diplomats from Moscow in response.
The US president, Donald Trump, this week ordered the expulsion of scores of Russian diplomats, which the US identified as intelligence agents, and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, the most forceful action Trump has taken against Russia to date.The US president, Donald Trump, this week ordered the expulsion of scores of Russian diplomats, which the US identified as intelligence agents, and the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, the most forceful action Trump has taken against Russia to date.
The British prime minister, Theresa May, has already expelled 23 Russian diplomats, among other measures, after saying the Russian state was to blame for the poison attack which left Skripal and his daughter in a critical condition.The British prime minister, Theresa May, has already expelled 23 Russian diplomats, among other measures, after saying the Russian state was to blame for the poison attack which left Skripal and his daughter in a critical condition.
The Kremlin has denied any involvement.The Kremlin has denied any involvement.
The British high commissioner, Menna Rawlings, thanked Australia for its “unwavering support”.
“The use of a nerve agent on British soil demands concerted diplomatic action. We are grateful to have Australia and other countries with us,” Rawlings said in a statement.
“What happened in the UK could happen in any country. It was an attack not just on the UK but on international security and the rules-based order.”
As news of the coordinated expulsion of Russian diplomats began to seep out on Monday, Australia continued to monitor the situation, with Bishop’s office saying there was “no change to Australia’s perspective”.As news of the coordinated expulsion of Russian diplomats began to seep out on Monday, Australia continued to monitor the situation, with Bishop’s office saying there was “no change to Australia’s perspective”.
But overnight events, which included Trump ordering the expulsion of 60 diplomats, changed the situation.But overnight events, which included Trump ordering the expulsion of 60 diplomats, changed the situation.
Two weeks ago Bishop placed Australia firmly in Britain’s corner in the escalating row, saying Australia believed Russia was either behind the attack or had lost control of its chemical weapons program. But she made no official announcement at the time about Australia’s likely response.Two weeks ago Bishop placed Australia firmly in Britain’s corner in the escalating row, saying Australia believed Russia was either behind the attack or had lost control of its chemical weapons program. But she made no official announcement at the time about Australia’s likely response.
“There is no other explanation, no other plausible explanation, as to where this nerve agent came from,” Bishop told the ABC two weeks ago. “Either Russia was behind the attempted assassination of it has lost control of this previously undisclosed stockpile of nerve agent.” “There is no other explanation, no other plausible explanation, as to where this nerve agent came from,” Bishop told the ABC two weeks ago. “Either Russia was behind the attempted assassination or it has lost control of this previously undisclosed stockpile of nerve agent.”
Bishop said then that Australia would support the UK in any move to send weapons inspectors into Russia to view its program, given Russia’s 1997 signature on the chemical weapons convention.Bishop said then that Australia would support the UK in any move to send weapons inspectors into Russia to view its program, given Russia’s 1997 signature on the chemical weapons convention.
“Under the chemical weapons convention, one state that suspects another state of having illegal chemical weapons can seek these inspections and Britain certainly has the right to do that, and they are aware that we would support them, should they go down that path,” she said.“Under the chemical weapons convention, one state that suspects another state of having illegal chemical weapons can seek these inspections and Britain certainly has the right to do that, and they are aware that we would support them, should they go down that path,” she said.
“This is a situation that cannot be allowed to continue. One cannot have a permanent member of the security council, or indeed any country anywhere, any time, deploying illegal chemical weapons, and so clearly Britain is within its rights to take action, as it has done with expelling diplomats.“This is a situation that cannot be allowed to continue. One cannot have a permanent member of the security council, or indeed any country anywhere, any time, deploying illegal chemical weapons, and so clearly Britain is within its rights to take action, as it has done with expelling diplomats.
“I have been in constant communication with [UK] foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Australia is most certainly considering what other options might be available.”“I have been in constant communication with [UK] foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Australia is most certainly considering what other options might be available.”
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