Prohibition Of An Export Under The Weapons Of Mass Destruction Act
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Government - Defence Press Release28th May 2010, 06:05pm - Views: 895
 SENATOR JOHN FAULKNER Minister for Defence Friday, 28 May 2010 055/2010 PROHIBITION OF AN EXPORT UNDER THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ACT The Minister for Defence has made a determination under section 14 of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995 (WMD Act) to prohibit an export of certain industrial items to an entity in Iran on the basis that the items might be diverted for use in a WMD program. This determination was in accordance with advice from the Department of Defence, and supported by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Prime Minister and Cabinet. The determination is based on intelligence information which cannot be disclosed. It is not appropriate to name the Australian company involved, but there is no information suggesting any impropriety on the part of the company. The company had been advised by the Department of Defence in early 2009 that the goods were not controlled by the WMD Act, but that assessment was subsequently revised, in light of further information. Recognising this, the Government is conscious of the economic impact of the decision and will be consulting with the company about means of mitigating the impact of the decision. Australia shares with the international community profound concern about Iran’s nuclear program. The Australian Government remains deeply concerned by Iran’s failure to comply with its international obligations and has repeatedly called on Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to abide by IAEA and United Nations Security Council resolutions. Australians considering commercial or other dealings with Iran are encouraged to contact the Defence Export Control Office at www.defence.gov.au/strategy/deco and seek independent legal advice before making commercial decisions. Media contacts: Colin Campbell (John Faulkner): 02 6277 7600 or 0407 787 181 Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664 |
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