'No plausible excuse' for nerve attack
Russia has "no plausible excuse" for the attempted assassination of a former spy in the UK last week, Foreign Minister Julia Bishop says.
She said that Russia was either behind a nerve gas attack on a former spy in the UK, or the country has lost control of its chemical weapons supply.
The foreign minister believes there are global security ramifications for the assassination attempt on Sergei Skripl and his daughter Yulia in the UK last week.
Australia has sent people to Moscow to follow up on the UK's accusations that Russia is behind the attack.
"There seems to be no plausible excuse - either the Russian State was behind it or Russia has lost control of its chemical weapons stockpile," she told ABC on Friday.
"Either way Russia must answer these accusations."
Ms Bishop says Australia will work closely with the UK in the short-term, backing Britain's decision to expel 23 diplomats and cut off high-level contacts with Moscow.
Australia will continue ongoing sanctions, including targeted financial sanctions introduced after threats to the Ukraine in 2014 and trade sanctions and travel bans introduced in 2015.
"We keep our sanctions against Russia under constant review and will continue to work very closely with the United Kingdom and other like-minded partners as the UK's investigation into this horrendous act continues," she said.
But Australia has no plans to introduce a Magnitsky Act, like those in the UK, United States and Canada, which allow sanctions against Russians connected to human rights violations.
Longer term, Ms Bishop believes Australia can play a role in a coordinated international campaign against chemical weapons.
