Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull delivers a speech during the dawn service to mark the ANZAC commemoration ceremony at the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux Thomson Reuters By Alison Bevege

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Saturday.

The announcement came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea pledged at an historic summit to work for the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North's missile and nuclear programs.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"Australia is to send a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to contribute to the enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions in our region," Payne said in a media release.

"The deployment supports the international campaign to address North Korea's illicit trade and associated networks," she said.

Senior U.S. officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearized.

Japanese media outlet NHK initially reported unidentified Japanese defense sources as saying Australia and Canada would send patrol aircraft, while Britain would also send a frigate to a U.S. base in southern Japan to monitor North Korean vessels transferring goods at sea. </s> Australia will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Saturday.

SYDNEY: Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Saturday the country will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Canada also plans to deploy patrol aircraft for such activities, and surveillance planes from both countries will be based in the U.S. military's Kadena air base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa, the Japanese government said in a separate statement.

The announcements came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea pledged at an historic summit to work for the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North's missile and nuclear programmes.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"We do have a P-8A surveillance aircraft that is going to be working in the region to monitor compliance with sanctions, and that is part of our collaboration with our partners in that exercise to enforce those U.N. sanctions," Turnbull said, speaking during a televised news conference.

"What has been occurring is that sanctions have been evaded by transferring materials from ship to ship...to add to the surveillance of the area enables that to be identified and then, of course, those who are a party to that to be held responsible and brought to account."

Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearised.

The move by Australia and Canada to deploy patrol aircraft comes after a British warship arrived in Japan this month to join efforts to police U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes.

"Japan welcomes these (surveillance) activities from the view point of upholding the maximum pressure on North Korea while maintaining the solidarity of the international community," the Japanese government said in a statement, referring to the moves by Australia, Canada and Britain.

Senior U.S. officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea. </s> Australia announced Saturday that it would deploy a military aircraft to help monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transporting goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia's airplane would join forces with Canadian and British aircraft, all of which were to operate from a US military base on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

"We do have a P-8A surveillance aircraft that is going to be working in the region to monitor compliance with sanctions, and that is part of our collaboration with our partners in that exercise to enforce those U.N. sanctions," Turnbull said during a televised news conference.

He continued, "What has been occurring is that sanctions have been evaded by transferring materials from ship to ship...to add to the surveillance of the area enables that to be identified and then, of course, those who are a party to that to be held responsible and brought to account."

Turnbull's announcement came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea held a historic meeting at which they vowed to work towards a denuclearized Korean peninsula.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure needed to be maintained against the North to ensure the peninsula would eventually be free of nuclear weapons.

US President Donald Trump, who is also expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the next two months, said he intends to keep up the pressure on Pyongyang. He reaffirmed his support for UN sanctions that were imposed as a show of opposition to the North's missile and nuclear programs.

Japan, another US ally that lies well within range of Pyongyang's missiles, welcomed the stepped-up surveillance.

"Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of upholding the maximum pressure on North Korea while maintaining the solidarity of the international community," the Japanese government said in a statement, referring to the aircraft deployments announced by Australia, Canada and Britain.

In February, high-level US officials and their key Asian allies announced they were preparing to ramp-up efforts to intercept North Korean ships suspected of violating UN sanctions.

The plan called for closer monitoring of vessels suspected of transporting banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo going in and out of North Korea.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here. </s> SYDNEY, April 28 (Reuters) - Australia will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Saturday.

The announcement came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea pledged at an historic summit to work for the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North's missile and nuclear programmes.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"Australia is to send a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to contribute to the enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions in our region," Payne said in a media release.

"The deployment supports the international campaign to address North Korea's illicit trade and associated networks," she said.

Senior U.S. officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearised.

Japanese media outlet NHK initially reported unidentified Japanese defence sources as saying Australia and Canada would send patrol aircraft, while Britain would also send a frigate to a U.S. base in southern Japan to monitor North Korean vessels transferring goods at sea. (Reporting by Alison Bevege) </s> [SYDNEY] Australia will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Saturday.

The announcement came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea pledged at an historic summit to work for the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

However, US President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North's missile and nuclear programmes.

Australia, a staunch US ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

"Australia is to send a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to contribute to the enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions in our region," Ms Payne said in a media release.

"The deployment supports the international campaign to address North Korea's illicit trade and associated networks,"she said.

Senior US officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearised.

Japanese media outlet NHK initially reported unidentified Japanese defence sources as saying Australia and Canada would send patrol aircraft, while Britain would also send a frigate to a US base in southern Japan to monitor North Korean vessels transferring goods at sea. </s> SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Saturday.

The announcement came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea pledged at an historic summit to work for the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North’s missile and nuclear programmes.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

“Australia is to send a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to contribute to the enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions in our region,” Payne said in a media release.

“The deployment supports the international campaign to address North Korea’s illicit trade and associated networks,” she said.

Senior U.S. officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearised.

Japanese media outlet NHK initially reported unidentified Japanese defence sources as saying Australia and Canada would send patrol aircraft, while Britain would also send a frigate to a U.S. base in southern Japan to monitor North Korean vessels transferring goods at sea. </s> Australian Malcolm Turnbull speaks at the ASEAN Summit in Sydney on March 18, 2018. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/via Reuters

Southeast Asian countries and Australia said on Sunday they held "grave concerns" about escalating tension caused by North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes and urged "irreversible" denuclearisation.

North Korea is pursuing its weapons programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions and has boasted of its plans to develop a missile capable of hitting the U.S. mainland.

It defends the programmes as a necessary deterrent against perceived plans by the United States, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea, for invasion - a plan the United States denies.

"We strongly urge the DPRK to immediately and fully comply with its obligations under all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions," the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia said in a joint declaration, using the initials for North Korea's official name.

The country's nuclear and ballistic missile development "threaten regional and global security" the declaration added, calling for the "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation" of the nation.

Tensions have eased in recent weeks, coinciding with North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics held in the South last month.

U.S. President Donald Trump also announced surprise plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before May, after Kim "committed to denuclearization", according to South Korea's National Security Office.

"We are cautiously encouraged by these developments," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong told reporters in Sydney after the publication of the ASEAN declaration.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula is a complicated problem which will take time to resolve, and we hope these recent steps will contribute to lasting peace and stability."

Australia hosted ASEAN meetings this weekend, despite not being a member of the 10-nation bloc, as it seeks to tighten political and trade ties in the region amid China's rising influence.

The summit focused on fostering closer economic and security ties among ASEAN and Australia, with the nations also railing against protectionist sentiment and calling for "self-restraint" in the disputed South China Sea, a regional flashpoint. </s> SYDNEY - Australia will send a military patrol aircraft to monitor North Korean vessels suspected of transferring prohibited goods in defiance of United Nations sanctions, Defence Minister Marise Payne said on Saturday.

The announcement came a day after the leaders of North and South Korea pledged at an historic summit to work for the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

However, US President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North’s missile and nuclear programmes.

Australia, a staunch US ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

“Australia is to send a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to Japan to contribute to the enforcement of United Nations Security Council resolutions in our region,” Payne said in a media release.

“The deployment supports the international campaign to address North Korea’s illicit trade and associated networks,” she said.

Senior US officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearised.

Japanese media outlet NHK initially reported unidentified Japanese defence sources as saying Australia and Canada would send patrol aircraft, while Britain would also send a frigate to a US base in southern Japan to monitor North Korean vessels transferring goods at sea. </s> The Canadian military is joining Britain, the U.S. and Australia in a new surveillance mission to monitor ship-to-ship transfers of oil and other goods to and from North Korea in violation of UN sanctions.

Canada is sending about 40 support personnel and a long-range patrol aircraft, a CP-140 Aurora, to the U.S. military’s Kadena air base on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa, a spokesperson for the Canadian defence department confirmed in a statement on Saturday.

The aircraft and personnel are from Canadian Forces Base Comox in B.C.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan also issued statements saying the aim of Canada’s participation in the operation is to “counter North Korea’s maritime smuggling in accordance with relevant UNSC resolutions.”

Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed his country’s role in the patrols on Saturday, a day after the eaders of North and South Korea pledged at a historic summit to work for the complete de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also set to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in either May or June, has said he would maintain pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions that were imposed in a bid to rein in the North’s missile and nuclear programs.

Australia, a staunch U.S. ally, also promised to keep up economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.

“We do have a P-8A surveillance aircraft that is going to be working in the region to monitor compliance with sanctions, and that is part of our collaboration with our partners in that exercise to enforce those UN sanctions,” Turnbull said, speaking during a televised news conference.

“What has been occurring is that sanctions have been evaded by transferring materials from ship to ship … to add to the surveillance of the area enables that to be identified and then, of course, those who are a party to that to be held responsible and brought to account.”

Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said pressure had to be kept on North Korea to ensure the Korean peninsula was denuclearized.

The move by Australia and Canada to deploy patrol aircraft comes after a British warship arrived in Japan this month to join efforts to police UN sanctions imposed on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs.

“Japan welcomes these (surveillance) activities from the viewpoint of upholding the maximum pressure on North Korea while maintaining the solidarity of the international community,” the Japanese government said in a statement, referring to the moves by Australia, Canada and Britain.

Senior U.S. officials said in February the Trump administration and key Asian allies were preparing to expand interceptions of ships suspected of violating the sanctions on North Korea. The strategy called for closer tracking of ships suspected of carrying banned weapons components and other prohibited cargo to and from North Korea.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urges U.S. President Donald Trump to be cautious in North Korea talks. Turnbull also said that Australia must retain sanctions on North Korea.