Allies consider defence to cyber attacks
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will join a security meeting with British counterpart Theresa May and other intelligence allies amid growing concern over ‘‘unconscionable’’ Russian tactics in the Syrian crisis.
The pair will be joined by Australia’s Malcolm Turnbull and Justin Trudeau, of Canada, in the meeting between four of the "five eyes" intelligence allies, on the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government [CHOGM] meeting.
The talks are expected to consider the danger from further Russian cyber attacks after damage to British and US targets in recent days, Australian have reported.
Ardern’s day was also to include a town hall meeting with Trudeau and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, before a meeting with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. On her whirlwind European tour she has already held talks with French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
On Tuesday, GCSB directorgeneral Andrew Hampton confirmed there had been signs New Zealand organisations had been directly threatened by Russian state-sponsored hacking. ‘‘Attributing cyber incidents to particular countries is something that is carefully considered and is a step not taken lightly,’’ he added. media
The bombardment of British and US networks has moved security concerns to the top of the agenda at CHOGM.
Seeking a Commonwealth outcome on cyber security, May will offer £15 million (NZ$29m) to Commonwealth members to tighten their internet defences.
‘‘I have called on Commonwealth leaders to take action and to work collectively to tackle this threat,’’ the British leader said in a statement ahead of the meeting.
The funding will go to security agencies in Commonwealth nations that are considered to have low or middle incomes.
The UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have been formal intelligence allies with the US in the ‘‘five eyes’’ group since the start of the Cold War, using a network of monitoring stations to gather and share information.
The intelligence partners have backed the use of military force to destroy chemical weapons facilities in Syria last weekend even though only two of the five, the UK and the US, launched missile strikes in concert with France.
The next steps to a trade deal were likely to be on the agenda for Ardern’s separate meeting with May, as the United Kingdom negotiates its exit from the European Union (EU) and has expressed a preference to prioritise New Zealand for a free trade deal once it’s free to negotiate. And while no formal negotiations can take place until Britain has formally left in May next year, the EU has given clearance for the UK to begin preliminary talks.
However, a slight pall could hang over the meeting. It follows New Zealand’s apparent reluctance to sheet responsibility for a chemical attack on former spy Sergei Skripal back to Russia, widely acknowledged as the perpetrator of the attack in Salisbury.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters first condemned the attack but held out from blaming Russia. Ardern was forced to issue a much stronger statement to make clear New Zealand’s stance.
Peters met British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson overnight in London. His talks with Johnson would have at least partially been to smooth things over.