Australia’s International Relations
Austria
Information on Australia-Austria Relations
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information about Australia-Austria: Country Brief and Fact Sheet.
About Austria
Austria's official government website
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Information on Australia-Bosnia and Herzegovina Relations
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information about Australia-Bosnia and Herzegovina: Country Brief and Fact Sheet
About Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's official government website.
Hungary
Information on Australia-Hungary Relations
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information about the Republic of Hungary: Country brief and factsheet
About Hungary
Website of the Hungarian Government
Kosovo
Information on Australia-Kosovo Relations
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information about Kosovo: Country Brief
About Kosovo
Kosovo's official government website
Slovakia
Information on Australia-Slovakia Relations
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information about Australia-Slovakia relations: Country Brief and Fact Sheet
About Slovakia
Slovakia's offical government webpage
Slovenia
Information on Australia-Slovenia Relations
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade information about Australia-Slovenia relations: Country Brief and Fact Sheet
About Slovenia
Slovenia’s official government website.
Australia’s Relations With Other Countries
A gateway to Australia’s relations with other countries.
Australia's Relations with International Organisations in Vienna
The Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations is accredited to several UN and other international organisations in Vienna, including:
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
Wassenaar Arrangement (WA)
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
Zangger Committee (ZAC)
United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA)
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR)
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)
Australia’s policy and positions related to these organisations and their activities may be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website, including under the section on Global Issues.
The Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations is supported in its work by a range of Australian Government Departments and Agencies, including:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)
The Counsellor (Nuclear) at the Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission represents ANSTO in the IAEA and Europe.
For further information, please contact Mrs Kath Smith at: [email protected]
Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO)
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Organisation (ARPANSA)
Australia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Australia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
IAEA General Conference Statement
Australian Statements to the IAEA Board of Governors
Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (26 November 2015)
Application of Safeguards in the DPRK - statement by Mr David Lewis, Alternate Permanent Representative to the IAEA (26 November 2015)
Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic - statement by Mr David Lewis, Alternate Permanent Representative to the IAEA (26 November 2015)
Technical Cooperation: The Agency’s Proposed Programme for 2016-2017 - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (23 November 2015)
Evaluation of Technical Cooperation Activities in 2015 - statement by Dr Kath Smith, Alternate Resident Representative to the IAEA (23 November 2015)
Nuclear Science, Technology and Applications - statement by Mr Mark Alexander, Alternate Resident Representative to the IAEA (8 September 2015)
Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (4 March 2015)
Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of United Nations Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (4 June 2014)
Implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement and relevant provisions of United Nations Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (5 March 2014)
DPRK - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (4 March 2014)
Report by the Director General on monitoring and verification in Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (24 January 2014)
Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (28 November 2013)
Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (9 September 2013)
Iran - statement by HE Mr David Stuart, Resident Representative to the IAEA (5 June 2013)
Australia is a designated member of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), having been a founding Member of the Agency in 1957 and one of the small number of States that drafted the Agency’s Statute. The Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna plays a significant role in contributing to and overseeing the activities of the Agency on behalf of the Australian Government.
The Agency is responsible for promoting international co-operation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy. Its activities fall into three main areas, all of which are important for Australia.
The first is safeguards: it is the role of the Agency, through its inspection program, to provide the international community with the assurance that nuclear materials which are designated to be used only for peaceful purposes are not diverted to military purposes. Australia played a leading role in the development and adoption of the IAEA’s safeguards regime, including the Additional Protocol to comprehensive safeguards agreements, which provides the Agency with enhanced powers of inspection and verification. We continue to be active in promoting the early, effective and efficient implementation of Agency safeguards. The Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO), located within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, holds prime responsibility for Australian policy in this area.
The second is safety and security: the Agency is active in promoting nuclear safety worldwide through the development of international law and technical standards and the provision of advice to Member States. Australia has been active in the development and implementation of conventions, codes and standards relating to nuclear safety and security. The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is the Australian Government’s lead agency on nuclear safety matters.
The third is assisting Member States in the application of nuclear techniques for peaceful purposes, which is not restricted to the use of nuclear power, but extends to the use of radioactive isotopes in medical, industrial and agricultural applications. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) plays a significant role in this area.
Australia and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation
Vienna is the headquarters of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), which was concluded in 1996. The Treaty’s objective is to prevent the further testing of nuclear weapons. Australia was one of the first States to sign and ratify the Treaty, which bans the conduct of nuclear weapon test explosions and other nuclear explosions. The Treaty will enter into force after ratification of the Treaty by all forty four States (including Australia) designated in the Treaty which possess nuclear facilities. Currently, 34 of these States have ratified. Australia played a major role in the negotiation of the Treaty and its eventual adoption by the United Nations General Assembly.
To ensure compliance with the Treaty, a verification system is being constructed which must be ready for operation by the time the Treaty enters into force. The verification system will consist of a global network of 321 monitoring stations and 16 radio-nuclide laboratories capable of detecting possible nuclear explosions and sending data continuously and in real time to an International Data Centre in Vienna, and an On-Site Inspection process which provides for on-site inspections on a challenge basis should a suspicious event be detected. Australia is host to 21 of these facilities. Most of these facilities have been completed and certified as operational.
Australia has enacted legislation – the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Act, 1998 – prohibiting any nuclear explosion in Australia and any activities by any Australian citizen causing a nuclear explosion, and providing a legal framework for Australia to meet its obligations under the Treaty. The Act also establishes the Australian Comprehensive Test Ban Office, located within the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO), as Australia’s National Authority (point of contact) responsible for implementing Australia’s participation in the Treaty.
The Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Vienna plays an active role in the work of the Preparatory Commission in developing the verification system and preparing for the Treaty’s entry-into-force.
Australia currently holds the position of coordinating country for encouraging signature and ratification of the Treaty in order to promote early entry into force. This position derives its mandate from Article XIV of the Treaty. Australia is assisted in this role by the Special Representative of States Ratifiers, Ambassador Jaap Ramaker of the Netherlands.
Australia and the United Nations Office at Vienna
The United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) was established in 1991. In October 2002, UNDCP was renamed the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). UNODC promotes international cooperation against illicit drug production, trafficking and drug-related crime.
UNODC also has the responsibility for promoting international cooperation in the fields of crime prevention, criminal justice and criminal law reform. The Office works with Member States to strengthen the rule of law, promote stable and viable criminal justice systems and to combat the growing threat of transnational organized crime.
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) is the central policy-making body within the UN system for dealing with all drug-related matters. Each year an Australian delegation participates in the Commission, which analyses the world drug abuse situation and develops proposals to strengthen international drug control. The Department of Health and Ageing and the Attorney-General’s Department are the Australian Government departments with primary carriage for drug control in Australia.
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the independent and quasi-judicial control body for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions. INCB is independent of Governments as well as of the United Nations; its 13 members serve in their personal capacity. Australia liaises closely with the Secretariat of the INCB on issues relating to the control of both licit and illicit drugs. Major Brian Watters, formerly the Chair of Australia’s Naitonal Council on Drugs is a member of the INCB.
The 40-member UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice formulates international policies and recommends activities in the field of crime control. Each year a delegation from Australia participates in this forum, which discusses ways to fight crime on a global level. The Attorney-General’s Department has primary responsibility for crime prevention in Australia.
The UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is the core legal body of the UN system in the field of international trade law, working for the progressive harmonisation of the law of international trade. The Attorney-General’s Department has primary carriage of trade law matters in Australia.
The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) manages space programs within the United Nations and acts as Secretariat for meetings of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). COPUOS was set up by the UN General Assembly in 1959 to review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources is the Australian Government department with primary carriage of Australia’s space policy.