The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia disclosed the threats emanating from the new military alliance between Australia, Great Britain and the United States (Aukus) and indicated that the created partnership underlines the Nuclear Weapon Non-Proliferation Agreement (NPT). It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the Director of the Department of Nonproliferation and Arms Control Arms Control of Foreign Affairs of Vladimir Ermakov.
According to the diplomat, the Russian side continues to study the consequences of creating a trilateral defense alliance. “It is already obvious that such a partnership will not help strengthen the NPT,” he said.
Ermakov stressed that Aukus creates a negative precedent in terms of the implementation of the guarantees of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He noted that the participation of Australia in the Alliance does not most effect on the Rarotong Treaty on the nuclear-free zone in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean.
Previously, a representative of Australia at a meeting of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly announced the readiness of the Aukus Alliance to cooperate with the IAEA. Alliance intends to “fully” interact with the agency over the next 18 months.
USA, Britain and Australia concluded an agreement on defense partnership on September 16. After that, Canberra broke out a contract with the French company Naval Group, which provided for the production of 12 shock submarines worth about $ 66 billion in favor of obtaining atomic submarines from the USA.
Aukus was created against the background of the growth of tension between Western countries and China. Beijing declares that a significant part of international waters in the Pacific belongs to the PRC. We are talking about controversial waters in Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and others. The Chinese government is making measures to enhance the control over the sea routes through which world trade takes place.