AUSTRALIA IMPLEMENTING OSLO CLUSTER MUNITIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000097 SIPDIS SECDEF FOR OSD DEPARTMENT FOR PM/WRA, EUR/WE AND EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019 TAGS: MOPS PARM PGOV AS SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA IMPLEMENTING OSLO CLUSTER MUNITIONS PROHIBITIONS REF: 08 CANBERRA 1290 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Political Counselor James F. Cole for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C/NF) Australia may be among the first 30 countries to bring the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions into force according to Gerry McGuire, Director, Counter-Proliferation Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. McGuire advised that the Parliamentary review process is moving more quickly than expected and it is possible new legislation could be drafted and passed by mid-year. ¶2. (C/NF) McGuire also advised that the Japanese have consulted with Australia and other countries on what criminal penalties will be adopted, including incarceration and financial penalties. He noted with interest that the Japanese are proposing to use contract employees to move cluster munitions around on U.S. bases in Japan to avoid contravening the Convention's handling prohibitions. CLUNE