International relations

Today marks 10 years since the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 and the tragic loss of 298 lives, including 38 people who called Australia home.

Eight years ago today, an Arbitral Tribunal, constituted under the UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS), made a unanimous, clear, and binding ruling in the South China Sea arbitration between the Philippines and China.

Australia opposes the death penalty in all circumstances for all people. Australia's Strategy for Abolition of the Death Penalty outlines Australia’s position on the death penalty and guides our advocacy and action on advancing the goal of global abolition.

Australia acknowledges China’s participation in its fourth UPR cycle, but is disappointed that China did not accept any of the recommendations that Australia made or answer Australia’s advance questions.

On 3 July, senior officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State met by videoconference to review progress on initiatives agreed by Quad leaders at the 2023 Summit in Hiroshima.

ASNO plays an active role in shaping the effectiveness of the Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) disarmament and non-proliferation regimes through engagement at the bilateral, regional and multilateral level.

ASNO upholds its international non-proliferation through robust domestic regulation. This includes operation of a permit and notification system, and the conducting of compliance inspections and visits.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an international disarmament treaty that seeks to eliminate chemical weapons in a verifiable manner, and to prevent their re-emergence.

ASNO ensures compliance with Australia's international treaty obligations under:

• The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons – commonly known as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
• Australia's Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) and Additional Protocol (AP) with the International Atomic Energy Agency 
• the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment
• International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism
• Australia's 25 bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreements (NCAs).