Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Stirling for his question. This is a profoundly serious issue, and I think the Prime Minister has very comprehensively explained the approach of the Australian government to the issue. As I said, I think it is a profoundly serious issue, and one the House needs to focus on.

There have been three processes through which the issue of North Korea has been addressed in recent times. The first and dominant process has been the so-called six-party talks, which includes North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Russia, China and the United States of America. The endeavour has been to try to get North Korea to move from a nuclear posture to cooperating fully with the international community and in response receiving significant quantities of aid and an opening up of trade and investment with the rest of the world. The six-party process has occurred occasionally but not often and, despite a framework being negotiated last year and an agreed statement being issued, North Korea has refused to return to those six-party talks.

The Leader of the Opposition earlier asked the Prime Minister a question about convening a regional grouping of foreign ministers. To add to his point, I tell him that the week before last in New York the Secretary of State to the United States, Condoleezza Rice, convened the second of what is called the five-plus-five meeting, which is the six parties minus the North Koreans, of course, and five other countries in the region, including Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. This was a useful opportunity for us to make sure our positions are coordinated. Over the last few days we have had telephone contact with each other to make sure that, in the event of this test taking place, there will be a coordinated response. I think it is very possible that, for example, during the APEC meeting next month in Vietnam there will be another five-plus-five meeting. In the meantime, it is our view that the action should move straightaway to the United Nations Security Council. In the United Nations Security Council there must be a robust response.

It is important that all members—and I focus here on the P5, the five permanent members—understand the importance of having a chapter 7 resolution and of specific measures being taken against the North Korean regime. I have some quiet confidence that that will be achievable. We will have to wait and see; I am not getting into canvassing the different views of the different governments. But, as the Prime Minister said a moment ago, one very important development and one very positive development in what is otherwise a rather gloomy day in international relations has been the summit between Prime Minister Abe and President Hu Jintao. It is good that China and Japan are beginning the process of reconciliation, and in this context of the North Korean nuclear test that is a very important development.

The immediate focus should be on the Security Council—making sure the Security Council takes decisive action. I have quiet optimism that that is going to be possible, but the regional countries will certainly continue to cooperate and keep in contact with each other. One of the most important things here is to make sure there is a united—not just regional, frankly, but united—international response to this outrage of a test, assuming the test is confirmed. It is absolutely crucial that there is as united a position internationally as there possibly can be. I think that is possible.

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