Malcolm Turnbull locks in behind Theresa May's escalating attack on Russia

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Malcolm Turnbull locks in behind Theresa May's escalating attack on Russia

By David Crowe

London: Australians must brace for rising tension with Russia that will expose essential infrastructure to attack, as leaders raise the alarm over political interference and cyber warfare linked to the wider clash over the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned of “aggressive” Russian tactics against the west as she met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and leaders from Canada and New Zealand to discuss the latest intelligence on the threat.

Ms May will use the Commonwealth summit in London this week to send a show of force to Russia and Syria, urging leaders from all 53 nations to back a statement that condemns the use of chemical weapons.

Ms May has Australian support for the statement after discussing it with Mr Turnbull during a meeting where she condemned the Syrian government’s “indiscriminate and barbaric” gas attack on its own people.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.Credit: AAP

The proposed clause in the Commonwealth statement would say all members oppose the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances and are committed to strengthening the global convention that bans their use.

In a key message after Russia used its veto power in the United Nations Security Council to prevent an investigation into the Syrian gas attacks, the proposed statement would also underline the importance of timely investigations.

Fairfax Media understands the UK proposal is being resisted by Pakistan and others, leaving it unclear whether it will be embraced by all members in what is usually a consensus statement at the close of the summit.

The Russian cyber attacks launched on the United Kingdom and United States this week, part of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s response to the missile strikes on Syria gas facilities last weekend, have spread concern about threats to other countries including Australia.

“Russia is using cyber as part of a wider effort to attack and undermine the international system,” Ms May said Thursday as she began the meeting with Mr Turnbull, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

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“Its interference over the past year has included attacks on the public sector, media, telecommunications and energy sectors.”

The meeting on the sidelines of the Commonwealth summit in London brought together four of the “five eyes” alliance that has joined in the US in monitoring and sharing military and other intelligence since the start of the Cold War.

Ms May confirmed in public that the work of the “five eyes” members had traced a February cyber attack, known as the NotPetya virus, to Russia.

She also blamed Moscow for a “concerted campaign of cyber disinformation” to spread lies after the nerve agent attack on nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury last month.

“I have been clear to Russia that we know what it is doing,” she said.

“And we should be in no doubt that such cyber warfare is one of the great challenges of our time.”

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Mr Turnbull said Australian businesses should prepare for cyber attacks and Australians should be on guard against weaknesses given there was “plenty of evidence” of the attacks from Russia.

After extensive coverage of Russian interference in the US election that brought US President Donald Trump to power, Mr Turnbull also raised the prospect of similar meddling in Australian elections.

“That is why we are taking every step that we can with our foreign interference legislation to ensure that Australians, and Australians only, are the ones who influence Australian political processes,” he said.

“We make no apologies for and will not take a backward step from standing up for Australians right to determine their political processes, who’s elected to their Parliament, how laws are debated and resolved.

“It is critically important that we do that and that is the right and indeed the duty of every sovereign state.”

Mr Turnbull made the comment after a question about Russia, even though Australian debate on the foreign interference laws has tended to focus on Chinese lobbying in Australia.

Ms Ardern said New Zealanders had to be “vigilant” about the cyber attacks, while Mr Turnbull said there should be “constant attention” on the vulnerability of communications systems.

“So it is a time of heightened vulnerability and you cannot ever imagine that there is any time to drop your guard,” he said.

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