Senior officials from 11 nations began talks today in Brisbane, Australia, on a U.S.-proposed initiative to interdict suspect shipments of WMD-related cargo, according to Agence France-Presse (see GSN, June 26).

The Proliferation Security Initiative meeting will include discussions on whether there is enough international legal authority to interdict WMD-related cargo shipments, said Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

Members of the PSI, which was formalized in Madrid last month, include Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, according to AFP.  While not present at the meeting, China is being kept informed about the group’s progress and would be invited to participate in the effort, Downer said.

“China could become a key player in a process like this, particularly in relation to North Korea,” Downer said.

North Korea, a potential target of the proposed initiative, would be unlikely to support new international law designed to block the shipment of suspect cargo, Downer said.  Such shipments, however, may have to pass through other countries en route to North Korea — countries that might be willing to participate in the effort, he said (Agence France-Presse, July 9).

Downer said today that, while Australia has not considered intercepting North Korea-bound shipments, it has also not ruled out such a decision.

“Obviously we haven’t given consideration to Australian aircraft intercepting … North Korean aircraft, or our ships intercepting their ships,” Downer said.  “I’m not saying it would never be considered but I’m saying we haven’t given consideration to that yet,” he said (AAP Newsfeed, July 9).

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