The Proliferation Security Initiative-Implications for the Indian Ocean

摘要

On 13 September 2003 in the Coral Sea, an aerial search was conducted for a simulated Japanese flagged vessel suspected of trafficking weapons of mass destruction (WMD) related material. The vessel was located and tracked by combined military and law enforcement assets from Japan, the US, France and Australia with the agreement of the flag state (Japan). The Japanese coastguard, working with officials from the three other countries involved, boarded and searched the vessel on the high seas. WMD-related cargo was uncovered and seized. The vessel was escorted to Gladstone, Queensland for further law enforcement purposes. This was the scenario for exercise "Pacific Protector", the first in a series of maritime, air and land interdiction training exercises agreed by members of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI).