Ardern’s comments follow moves by countries including France, Germany, Canada and the United States to follow the United Kingdom’s lead and expel diplomats in protest at Russia’s lack of explanation for the use of a Russian nerve agent to poison former double agent Sergei Skripal (66) and his daughter Yulia Skripal, aged 33.
Ardern told Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB this morning that the diplomats those countries were expelling were undeclared intelligence officers.
“We ran a check, we don’t have those in New Zealand but if we did we would expel them.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website lists 17 diplomats and staff in the Russian Embassy based in Wellington, including Ambassador Valery Tereshchenko.
The US has announced it is expelling 60 diplomats believed to be intelligence officers and many EU countries have also expelled diplomats. It comes after the UK’s initial move to boot out 23 diplomats - a move which was matched by Russia.
Russia has described the expulsions as “provocative” and indicated it will again retaliate in kind.
Ardern has come under fire for what was seen as an initially slow response by herself and Foreign Minister Winston Peters to British Prime Minister Theresa May’s call for international partners to join the UK in condemning Russia.
Ardern said New Zealand had done the same as other partners, including making strong statements about Russia’s failure to tender an explanation for the presence of its nerve agent in the UK and calling for a direct response.
The Skripals were poisoned in the southern England city of Salisbury on March 4. Testing revealed the Russian-made nerve agent Novichok has been used. Russia has refused to concede it was responsible.
Australia confirmed this morning that it would expel two Russian diplomats.
"Together with the United Kingdom and other allies and partners, Australia is taking action in response to the recent nerve agent attack in Salisbury, UK," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a statement.
"Two Russian diplomats identified as undeclared intelligence officers will be expelled by the Australian Government for actions inconsistent with their status, pursuant to the Vienna Conventions."
Related Stories
Comments
Where was the outrage when the USA violated the sovereignty of Pakistan to break international law and summarily execute Osama Bin Laden?
Yes it's an apples and oranges comparison, but both men were legitimate enemies of the state. The law is law and breaking it should not be acceptable by any nation state.
Neither case is lawful, but we're expected to only ignore the correct one.