June 26 2003

Leader of the Australian Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett successfully moved the following motion through the Senate

 

That the Senate:

 (a) Notes:

        (i) the USA and USSR decision to partition the Korean peninsula in 1945.

        (ii) the involvement of several countries including Australia in the 1950-1953 Korean war which ended in an Armistice and the stationing of around a million troops on the North / South Korean border to this day.

         (iii) Australia's political and financial support for the 1994 KEDO Agreement with aid being given to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

(DPRK) in return for the dismantling of any potential DPRK nuclear weapons program.

(b) Expresses concern:

         (i) at the DPRK decision to withdraw from the Nuclear non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) announced on the 10 January 2003.

         (ii) that the proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction represents a growing threat to Australian and regional security.

          (iii) at the effect that a North Korean nuclear arsenal may have on regional governments' compliance with the NPT.

          (iv) at the catastrophic effect that an exchange of nuclear weapons or even a conventional military exchange on the Korean peninsula, would have on the region and Australia's interests in it.

          (v) at the humanitarian crisis in North Korea due to a lack of food and medical supplies and previous problems of aid being diverted to the DPRK military.

 
(d) Calls on the Government to:

          (i) increase aid to NGOs and UN agencies providing food and medical supplies to the North Korean people.

          (ii) support the use of multilateral diplomatic means to arrive at a peaceful solution without military action.

          (iii) express Australia's hopes for the eventual peaceful reunification of Korea.

 

 

Daele Healy
Office of the Leader of the Australian Democrats,
Senator Andrew Bartlett
ph: (02) 6277 3645
fax: (02) 6277 3235