Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. With the sentencing overnight of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, will the government acknowledge that the time has arrived for targeted trade and investment sanctions against the Burmese regime to prevent Australian companies from inadvertently contributing to the legitimacy and financial support that they are providing to this illegitimate regime?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ludlam for the question. Let me commence my answer by indicating of course that the government has condemned the conviction and sentencing of Aung San Suu Kyi. Both Mr Smith and the Prime Minister made statements about this on 11 August. Aung San Suu Kyi has been convicted under Burma’s oppressive state protection law and sentenced to a further 18 months of house arrest.

I can say that Mr Smith has made very clear the Australian view on this issue. I am aware of certain targeted trade and investment sanctions with Burma. I am certainly aware of the fact, Senator, that there has been, as you are probably aware, a ban on defence exports to Burma since 1991. The Australian government has had a policy beyond that to neither encourage nor discourage trade with Burma. (Time expired)

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for the answer to the question. It is the ‘not discouraging trade and investment’ point that I think is the most alarming. I note that on 18 June 2009 the Senate unanimously expressed its support for a universal arms embargo against the regime, and I welcome also the strong support for this measure expressed by British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, overnight. Can the minister update the Senate on what the Australian government has done to date, since that resolution was passed by the Senate, in progressing a worldwide arms embargo?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ludlam for his supplementary question. Yes, I am certainly aware of the United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s call for the United Nations Security Council to impose a worldwide ban on the sale of arms to the Burmese regime. I can say that Australia supports these efforts to seek a UN Security Council mandated arms embargo on Burma. Australia agrees that arms should not be supplied to the Burmese regime, which of course has demonstrated its willingness to use force against its civilian population. (Time expired)

Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I thank the minister again for the answer and I have a further supplementary question. Given the extremely disappointing and disturbing evidence that two quite experienced Australian researchers have documented regarding Burma’s clandestine nuclear program facilitated by state and private enterprises, will the government through our representatives in Vienna be supporting the call for International Atomic Energy Agency inspections to assess whether the regime has violated its safeguards agreement with the IAEA?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Certainly I can say that Australia shares the international community’s concerns over Burma’s possible nuclear weapons aspirations and its relationship, also, with the DPRK. Obviously a nuclear armed Burma would be a serious threat to regional and international security and a setback to efforts to advance nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation regime. Certainly also Australia would call on the Burmese government to be transparent about any nuclear activities. Burma’s membership of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty requires it to place any nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, and Australia expects Burma to abide by its obligations under the treaty. (Time expired)