Australia has sided firmly with the UK in its condemnation of Russia over the spy poisoning scandal, telling Moscow it is gravely concerned a Russian-developed nerve agent had been used in the attempted assassination.
Former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were exposed to a banned nerve agent – probably manufactured in Russia – in the southern English city of Salisbury last week. They remain in hospital. The UK said Russia is responsible and expelled 23 diplomats in retaliation.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the foreign minister Julie Bishop said British prime minister Theresa May had “made a compelling case on the responsibility of the Russian state for this attack in an unlawful use of force by Russia against the United Kingdom and her people”.
The statement said Australia was “gravely concerned that a military-grade nerve agent developed by Russia” was used in an attack on British soil, and “we share the UK’s outrage over this targeted attempt to commit murder using chemical weapons”.
“Australia stands with the UK in solidarity and supports, in the strongest terms, prime minister May’s response to this heinous attack, the first use of chemical weapons in Europe since world war two,” the joint statement said.
Turnbull and Bishop said Australia supported the May government’s efforts to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice, and also backed the UK’s right to take “retaliatory measures, including its decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats and to call for an emergency session of the UN Security Council”.
Australia is considering its options by way of response, in coordination with the UK government and other allies.
Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva overnight Wednesday, the Charge d’Affaires of the Australian mission to UN in Geneva, Lachlan Strahan, said Russia’s interventions outside its borders were of global concern.
“We remain concerned about the impact of Russia’s interventions in Ukraine, Syria and Georgia on the human rights situation in those countries and are gravely concerned that Prime Minister May confirmed a military grade nerve agent of a type originally developed by Russia was used in an attempted assassination in the UK.”
The Russian embassy in Canberra released a furious and vaguely-threatening statement over media coverage in Australia over the incident.
“Russia is ready to help in the investigation of S Skripal’s case,” ambassador Grigory Logvinov wrote , “but as an equal partner, not as questioned and moreover ‘nominated’ defendant.
“It is surprising that history of 20th and the early 21st century hasn’t taught some persons that it is impossible to speak to Russia on the language of ultimatums.”
At the Human Rights Council in Geneva overnight, four countries, including Russia, were listed for consideration under Item 4, which are human rights situations in specific countries requiring the council’s attention.
