International security, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation

Program 1.1 and 1.10

Overview

The global security environment deteriorated further in the last 12 months. Strained relations between the United States and Russia cast a shadow over broader international security dynamics. Islamist terrorism and conflict in the Middle East had a direct impact on Australia through the growing foreign terrorist fighter (FTF) threat. China’s island-building activities became the focus of attention. And the hacking of Sony, attributed to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), embodied the growing threat of cyber attacks.

Against this discouraging backdrop, Australia made a significant contribution to international security efforts, reinforcing our credentials as a constructive and innovative partner in strengthening global and regional security frameworks and norms.

We continued to focus on the threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). We worked with others at the 2015 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to emphasise the security aspects of nuclear weapons, as well as that practical measures to progress disarmament must take into account the humanitarian concerns. We continued to press Australia’s concerns about North Korea’s nuclear program and advocated greater transparency about Iran’s nuclear activities. We also played a prominent role in advancing the aims of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions.

We maintained our emphasis on WMD counter-proliferation efforts. We hosted the 30th anniversary plenary meeting of the Australia Group. With the Department of Defence and other agencies, we engaged closely with emerging exporting countries, including to promote the trade benefits that can flow from strong export control regimes.

Our sustained lobbying and support for the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) helped facilitate its entry into force on 24 December 2014. We continued to influence preparations for the First Conference of States Parties in August 2015.

The international counter-terrorism (CT) landscape was dominated by Daesh’s territorial gains in Syria and Iraq and its success in attracting increasing numbers of FTFs. We broadened and deepened our cooperation with partners in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, including developing programs to counter violent extremism and the impact of terrorist messaging.

Through practically focused workshops and outreach activities, we helped strengthen counter-proliferation and CT capabilities in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. We engaged Burma in particular on the non-proliferation of chemical and biological weapons and on nuclear safeguards.

Faced with increasing tensions in our region, we deepened our strategic relations with major powers and regional partners. Through the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, leaders from Australia, the United States and Japan agreed to cooperate more closely in the region.

Cyber attacks resulting in the significant loss of data and confidential information increased globally, underscoring the importance of developing peacetime norms and risk reduction measures. We led global and regional efforts to achieve this. Our involvement in the Australian Government’s Cyber Security Review provided an opportunity to inject international perspectives into domestic considerations of this global issue.

Conventional weapons

Building on Australia’s seminal role in developing the ATT text, we helped facilitate its entry into force on 24 December 2014. We were prominent in shaping plans for its effective global implementation, working with key supporters on preparations for the first Conference of States Parties, to be held in Mexico in August 2015. In particular, we co-led with Ghana efforts to develop financial rules for the ATT Secretariat.

Australia continued to promote the universalisation of the Anti-personnel Landmine Ban Convention, the Convention on Cluster Munitions and other international instruments that aim to reduce the threat from the explosive remnants of war. Under Australia’s Mine Action Strategy 2010–14, we contributed $125 million to humanitarian mine action, exceeding our original commitment of $100 million.

Nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament

We engaged substantively on all issues during the 2015 NPT Review Conference, demonstrating our commitment to the NPT as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime. Disagreement over the modalities for a proposed conference on a Middle East WMD-Free Zone prevented a consensus outcome, but the conference achieved a degree of convergence across the three pillars of the NPT (disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy). The Action Plan agreed at the 2010 NPT Review Conference remains the guide for future progress in disarmament, non-proliferation and peacful uses of nuclear energy. Australia’s Ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna chaired the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Main Committee III on advancing the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Australia is committed to practical, realistic measures for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation—including through our leadership role in the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative, which was acknowledged at the NPT Review Conference for its effectiveness in crafting compromise positions on key issues.

We continued to stress the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) as vital steps towards nuclear disarmament. With Japan, we organised the 7th Friends of CTBT Ministerial Meeting during the UN General Assembly leaders’ week to encourage remaining states to sign and ratify the treaty and maintain the moratorium on nuclear testing. As a member of a group of governmental experts reporting to the UN Secretary-General, we mapped out key challenges and solutions for negotiating an FMCT that would verifiably end the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. Agreement on a way forward still eludes us. We joined the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament—a new US initiative to explore ways to verify the dismantlement of nuclear weapons.

At the IAEA, our Ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna chaired the Committee of the Whole at the 58th General Conference, which delivered practical outcomes across the range of IAEA issues. Australia led negotiation of the annual resolution on nuclear safety and helped secure strong resolutions supporting the agency’s role in nuclear safeguards, security and technical cooperation. As a member of the Board of Governors, we advocated effective safeguards implementation, promoted our interests as a responsible producer of nuclear medicine and supported the IAEA in promoting a well-governed technical cooperation program. We contributed over $3 million to the Technical Cooperation Fund, the Peaceful Uses Initiative and the renovation of the IAEA’s Seibersdorf laboratories, which will help spread the benefits of the application of nuclear science and technology globally.

We maintained pressure on Iran to address past and present concerns about its nuclear program and encouraged conclusion of a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between UNSC permanent members plus Germany (P5+1) and Iran. We continued to register strong concern about North Korea’s nuclear program and urged North Korea to meet its international obligations, including by returning to compliance with the NPT. We also ensured the IAEA Board remained seized of outstanding safeguards issues in Syria.

Australia signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with India on 5 September 2014. This agreement will provide for the export of uranium to India while ensuring such material is used only for peaceful purposes under robust safeguards. The Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office continued to negotiate with India on an associated Administrative Arrangement.

Counter-proliferation and export controls

International efforts to prevent proliferators from gaining access to sensitive dual-use WMD-related materials and technologies remained a core focus of our international outreach and bilateral engagement.

With Switzerland, we have been leading ground-breaking efforts within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to draw attention to the latent dangers of law enforcement agencies using toxic chemicals that target the central nervous system (so-called ‘incapacitating chemical agents’, such as fentanyls).

The Australian-led Australia Group (AG) marked its 30th anniversary by hosting a plenary meeting in Perth in June 2015. For the first time during a plenary, selected non-members joined a dialogue with members, discussing best practices on stopping the spread of chemical and biological weapons. In her keynote address, the Foreign Minister encouraged AG members to engage closely with emerging exporting countries and to address evolving challenges, including technological developments and the risk of terrorists acquiring these weapons.

Through our strong leadership in the various export control regimes (such as the AG and the Nuclear Suppliers Group) and implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions, we worked with international and domestic partners to develop new approaches to export controls, including a heightened focus on the security risks posed by intangible transfers of knowledge.

Australia used its work and outreach on export controls to encourage countries to tap the potential trade benefits that can flow from strong export control regimes. Clear and widely observed rules on export controls enable legitimate trade, investment and research by strengthening safeguards against diversion into WMD programs.

Counter-terrorism

The CT landscape was dominated by Daesh’s territorial gains in Syria and Iraq and its success in attracting increasing numbers of FTFs. Daesh has shown unprecedented capacity to radicalise and recruit through its use of the internet and social media.

Southeast Asia remained the focus of Australia’s CT cooperation efforts. Following a visit by our Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism, Indonesia agreed to re-sign our CT MOU. A workshop on using legal frameworks to deal with FTFs, held at the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation, provided practical advice for countries seeking to prevent the travel or control the return of foreign fighters and to manage social media.

We initiated and signed a CT MOU with Singapore as a framework to engage on a broad range of CT issues, including sharing information to disrupt cross-border movements and lessen the impact of terrorism on regional security. We supported high-level visits from the Philippines and Thailand to Australia to provide firsthand understanding of our CT architecture and legislative reforms.

Recognising Pakistan’s longstanding battle with terrorism and the need to strengthen its CT capacity, the department funded CT-related police training courses in digital forensics and the use of CT-related technologies and investigative techniques. We worked with other CT partners to provide training to improve the capacity of Pakistani judges and prosecutors to manage terrorism offences.

The Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism held CT talks with senior officials from India, the United States, Turkey, Germany, the European Union and Jordan. Through those talks, we were able to gauge the scale of the FTF problem and to gain commitments to enhance information-sharing and practical cooperation.

We helped strengthen the global CT architecture, most notably through the UN Security Council and the Global Counter-Terrorism Forum (GCTF). As co-chair (with Indonesia) of the GCTF’s Detention and Reintegration Working Group, we funded workshops to build capacity in the management of terrorist prisoners, including de-radicalisation and rehabilitation. We supported Interpol projects on information sharing in relation to the FTF threat and on securing the movement of chemical precursors between Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

The department contributed $1.5 million over three years to the newly established Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund which provides funding for civil society organisations in developing countries working to counter violent extremism at a grassroots level. The department worked with the Attorney-General’s Department on Australia’s hosting of the regional Countering Violent Extremism Summit in Sydney, following the initial meeting in Washington in February 2015.

National security and strategic policy

The department provided foreign policy and strategic advice on a range of issues considered by the National Security Committee of Cabinet, the Secretaries’ Committee on National Security, and the National Intelligence Coordination Committee. We engaged with leading regional strategic policy think tanks to help inform broader policy debate.

We continued our close engagement with the Department of Defence, including through a secondment to the 2015 Defence White Paper drafting team. The liaison officer exchange we have institutionalised with Defence’s Headquarters Joint Operations Command is enhancing awareness of shared challenges and identifying areas for greater cooperation, including in operational planning and humanitarian and disaster response.

The increasingly complex security environment in the Indo–Pacific region requires deeper engagement with regional allies and partners. In November 2014, Australia hosted the second leaders-level Trilateral Strategic Dialogue with the United States and Japan, which agreed to enhance cooperation on joint exercises and to strengthen regional capacity building in maritime security, peacekeeping and cyber. Practical cooperation was advanced through the dialogue’s working groups, such as the Southeast Asia Working Group.

Military planning benefits from the specialised knowledge of civilian policymakers. The department is directly contributing in a practical way through its significantly expanded participation in Talisman Sabre, a major Australian–US military training exercise. Civilian and military staff worked side-by-side preparing for the July 2015 exercise, including by producing a gender perspectives checklist that enabled military personnel to operationalise UNSC Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

We expanded our work with other agencies and overseas partners on cyber policy issues, including internet governance. We contributed to the Australian Government’s Cyber Security Review. At the Global Conference on CyberSpace in The Hague, Ms Bishop announced that Australia would become a founding partner of the new Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, a platform that contributes to cyber capacity building, including through encouraging best practice. We held inaugural bilateral cyber policy talks with China, the Republic of Korea and Japan. Our 2012 initiative to broaden the remit of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) through the information and communications technologies work plan to include risk reduction and conflict prevention was realised in 2015.

We financially assisted several ASEAN countries to attend the 2nd ARF Space Security Workshop in Tokyo. This dialogue, initiated by Australia, will increase regional awareness and cooperation on space security issues.

Outlook

We will continue to push for stronger regional and global counter-proliferation and disarmament norms to help prevent the proliferation of WMD by both state and non-state actors. We will pursue practical, realistic measures, focused on our region, including the holding of bilateral nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation dialogues with India and Pakistan. We will also continue playing a constructive role in the US-led International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification initiative.

Trade and investment are the economic pillars of global security. We will continue to promote the role strong export control regimes can play to facilitate, not hinder, legitimate international trade. We will also promote access to the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

We will work to ensure effective implementation of the ATT, especially in the Indo–Pacific region. A review of Australia’s Mine Action Strategy is under way, the results of which will inform any further investments in humanitarian mine action and armed violence reduction.

In cooperation with partners in Southeast Asia and in the Middle East, we will give more attention to developing effective programs for countering violent extremism and the impact of terrorist messaging. The department will continue to work with our partners to enhance information sharing, build capacity and strengthen the international frameworks for combatting terrorism.

Regional security tensions are likely to increase as the global strategic and economic centre of gravity shifts towards the Indo–Pacific region. We will continue to defend the rules-based international order that has underpinned stability and prosperity, including through reinforcing regional architecture. Deepening relations with major powers and regional partners, including through the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, will remain a priority.

Cyber issues will continue to require adroit management. In collaboration with other agencies, we will hold our inaugural bilateral cyber policy dialogue with India and second rounds with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Building on the ARF work plan, we will promote practical measures to advance the regional cyber confidence-building agenda.

We will support further transparency and confidence-building measures in space, building on recommendations and guidelines developed by UN bodies. With like-minded partners, we will support efforts to promote the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities and to deepen regional cooperation on space security issues.