The Australian Government has taken action in response to the recent nerve agent attack in Salisbury, UK – 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.
Two Russian diplomats identified as undeclared intelligence officers will be expelled by the Australian Government for actions inconsistent with their status, pursuant to the Vienna Conventions. The two officials will be directed to depart Australia within seven days.
The decision 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. The Australian Government has also joined calls for Russia to disclose the full extent of its chemical weapons program in accordance with international law.
This attack follows a pattern that constitutes 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.
Australia has had strong sanctions in place since 2014 in response to Russia’s threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Photo: Media interviews following attempted assassination with a nerve agent. Salisbury, UK (Peter Curbishley / Flickr)