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AUSTRALIA GROUP

 

Australia Group Doc

AG/Jun14/Press/Chair/39

 

6 June 2014

 

Statement by the Chair of the

2014 Australia Group Plenary

 

 

The need to strengthen global chemical and biological non-proliferation
measures underscored by the chemical weapons situation in Syria
dominated the Australia Group’s annual plenary meeting, which
concluded today in Paris.  Chaired by Australia and hosted in Paris by
the French Government, the Australia Group seeks to counter the spread
of technologies and materials that may facilitate the development or
acquisition of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) by states and
terrorists.  The Plenary welcomed Mexico as a new participating state in
the Group.

 

Among the measures AG participants agreed to take to strengthen CBW
non-proliferation measures are:

 

Encourage more non-participants to adhere to the AG Guidelines – to
make a political commitment to control the export of all items on the AG
common control lists according to the AG Guidelines, including
subsequent changes – in order to increase synergies with the growing
number of non-participants using the Australia Group control lists and
Guidelines as the benchmark for global best practice chemical and
biological export controls and reduce loopholes that proliferators and
terrorists can exploit.  Such adherent countries will be afforded a
broader range of information from AG participants to assist them in
observing global best practice.  

 

In line with UN Security Council Resolution 1540, increase efforts
against CBW terrorism, including by adding to the AG Guidelines the
requirement to consider the risk of diversion to terrorists when
reviewing export licenses for AG-controlled items, and by sharing more
information related to CBW terrorism with each other and with
non-participants.

 

Enhance outreach to industry and academia to improve their understanding
of the risks of CBW proliferation and how they can help prevent it --
not just to industry and academia within AG Participants’
jurisdiction, but also in multinational industry and academic forums and
in outreach to non-participants.

 

The Australia Group affirmed its view that the horrific use of chemical
weapons against the people of Syria underlines the necessity for the
complete eradication of chemical weapons for all time by all countries
through the universal adherence to and effective implementation of the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).  Since Syria’s accession to the
CWC, the Australia Group welcomes the progress made in the destruction
of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. However, until Syria
facilitates the complete and verified destruction of its chemical
weapons programme and resolves all ambiguities in its declaration to the
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the international
community will not have confidence that Syria is meeting its obligations
under UN Security Council Resolution 2118 and the CWC in full.  The
Australia Group Plenary also expressed concern about continued reports
of the use of chemical agents in the ongoing conflict in Syria.  The AG
Plenary considered lessons that could be learned from Syria's chemical
weapons programme and agreed on measures to further strengthen
non-proliferation export controls.

 

The Group continued its process of review of the proliferation risk
associated with new and emerging technologies, and participating experts
continued their review of lists of chemical and biological items that
are to be subject to export control.  Updated lists as well as the
Australia Group Guidelines are available at  HYPERLINK
"http://www.australiagroup.net" www.australiagroup.net . 

 

As in past years the 2014 Plenary enabled licensing and enforcement
experts to share experience and information to prevent attempts to
proliferate sensitive dual-use chemicals, biological materials, and
related equipment.  This year participants conducted a table top
exercise to evaluate responses to various enforcement challenges and
welcomed a comprehensive handbook on the identification of Australia
Group listed items prepared by the United States.  Australia Group
participants affirmed their commitment to ensuring that their export
controls did not hinder legitimate trade and technical cooperation in
the chemical and biological sectors.

 

Australia Group participants agreed to amend the AG Guidelines to
increase the prominence of “catch-all” controls on exports of
unlisted items that may contribute to CBW, and put particular priority
on “catch-all” implementation.  They also agreed to enhance
national efforts to control transfers of AG-listed technology in
intangible forms or by intangible means, including via the provision of
training.  The Group also will continue to share information on
approaches to visa vetting and to the control of proliferation-sensitive
brokering services.  Participants also clarified the implementation of
the Group’s “no-undercut” policy, which promotes uniformity in the
implementation of export controls.

 

Consideration was given to potential new members that have formally
expressed interest in joining the Australia Group.

 

The Australia Group agreed to continue an active program of
international outreach and engagement in 2014-15 to further enhance
efforts to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons,
with particular emphasis on encouraging adherence to the AG Guidelines,
the threat of CBW terrorism, the need for “catch-all” controls, and
the importance of outreach to industry and academia.

 

AG members accepted Australia’s offer to host the next Plenary in
Perth, Western Australia, in 2015 to mark the 30th anniversary of the
establishment of the Australia Group.  

 

Further information on the Australia Group is available at  HYPERLINK
"http://www.australiagroup.net" www.australiagroup.net .