AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL MANPADS INITIATIVE

1. AUSTRALIA’S INTERNATIONAL MANPADS INITIATIVE Mr Don SmithExecutive Officer Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Canberra

2. MANPADS – An International ThreatAustralia’s Response • Introduction • A clear and present danger • International efforts to address the threat • Implementation of existing Agreements • Australia’s response • Conclusion / next steps

3. MANPADS – An International ThreatIntroduction (3) • States can legally develop, produce, hold and use MANPADS under international law • Around 500,000 missiles, but fewer than 100,000 complete units, have been produced to date.

4. MANPADS – An International ThreatIntroduction (4) • Need to prevent terrorists and other unlawful non-state groups acquiring MANPADS to target civilian aircraft • Over 40 mainly military aircraft hit by MANPADS since 1970’s, causing 25 crashes and over 600 deaths worldwide • Frequent media reports about MANPADS attacks in conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan

5. MANPADS – An International ThreatA Clear And Present Danger (5) • As hijacking becomes more difficult (post Sept-11), MANPADS attacks become more attractive • We know terrorist groups want access to MANPADS • The portability and concealment potential of MANPADS makes them a significant threat in the hands of trained operators

6. MANPADS – An International ThreatA Clear And Present Danger (6) • Strategic MANPADS attacks might kill hundreds of people and have substantial economic and political costs • Such attacks would also impact on regional stability

7. MANPADS – An International ThreatA Clear And Present Danger (7) • Sept 11 attacks cost insurers nearly US$21 billion • The 2002 Bali bombings wiped 10% off the Indonesian share index and prompted the finance ministry to seek an extra US$363 million in November 2002

8. MANPADS – An International ThreatInternational Efforts To Address The Threat (1) • International frameworks to address the threat from the illicit use of MANPADS already exist • Ongoing action at the global, regional and bilateral levels to address the threat

9. MANPADS – An International ThreatInternational Efforts To Address The Threat (2)United Nations • Two Australia-sponsored UNGA resolutions in 2004 and 2005 adopted by consensus

10. MANPADS – An International ThreatInternational Efforts To Address The Threat (3)Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies • 2002 Elements for Export Controls of Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) • Revised in December 2003 • The Wassenaar Elements are accepted as the benchmark for MANPADS controls

11. MANPADS – An International ThreatInternational Efforts To Address The Threat (4)G8 • G8 Leaders’ declaration at Birmingham, 1998 • G8 Leaders’ declaration at Kananaskis, 2002 • G8 Action Plan on MANPADS, Evian, 2003 • G8 Secure and Facilitated International Travel Initiative Action Plan, 2004

12. MANPADS – An International ThreatInternational Efforts To Address The Threat (5)OSCE, OAS, ICAO • OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation Decision No. 7/03 on MANPADS, 2003 • OAS Recommended Guidelines for Control and Security of MANPADS, 2003 • ICAO Resolution A35-11, 2004

13. MANPADS – An International ThreatInternational Efforts To Address The Threat (6)APEC Existing APEC decisions on MANPADS • APEC Leaders’ Declaration, Bangkok, 2003 • APEC Guidelines on Controls and Security of MANPADS, Santiago Ministerial Meeting, 2004 • APEC Joint Ministerial Statement, Busan, 2005

14. MANPADS – An International ThreatImplementation of Existing Agreements (1) • Main vulnerabilities are in storage and transhipment as illicit production is not currently a significant part of the problem. • Many thousands of MANPADS are unaccounted for worldwide.

15. MANPADS – An International ThreatImplementation of Existing Agreements (2) • Key issue now is to implement existing international commitments • Stockpile management • Effective export/transfer controls, including of associated technology and training

16. MANPADS – An International ThreatAustralia’s Response (1) – The Announcement • On 6 December 2005 Mr Downer announced Australia’s international MANPADS diplomatic initiative • takes a ‘whole-of-government’ approach involving policy and technical agencies

17. MANPADS – An International ThreatAustralia’s Response (2) – The Objectives • Raise profile of the threat with policy makers, industry and security agencies • Strengthen controls over transfers, storage and use of MANPADS • Identifying areas for technical assistance and capacity building

18. MANPADS – An International ThreatAustralia’s Response (3) – The loci of action • As Wassenaar Plenary Chair this year (2006), Australia will promote the benchmark Wassenaar MANPADS export control and stockpile management standards through targeted outreach to non-member states • As APEC Chair in 2007, our focus will be on the Asia-Pacific region

19. MANPADS – An International ThreatConclusion / Next Steps (1) – Australia’s activities • Australian-organised international MANPADS seminar New York (2 Nov 2006) • Other regional capacity-building activities.

20. MANPADS – An International ThreatConclusions / Next Steps (2) • Heighten international profile of the MANPADS threat through • Industry and business engagement • Increased diplomatic efforts to address the threat

21. MANPADS – An International ThreatConclusion / Next Steps (3) • Strengthened domestic and international information sharing arrangements • Implementation of international agreements and commitments • Identification of capacity building opportunities to boost capabilities, including in needs identification and gap analysis

22. MANPADS – An International ThreatConclusion / Next Steps (4) • These measures will go some way to restricting MANPADS availability, particularly the more modern and capable weapons. • However, older, unaccounted weapons in illicit hands will continue to present a threat and will require vigilance by governments and information-sharing to counter these threats.