Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law would cancel Russia's lease on the site based on advice from security agencies.
The land for the Russian embassy overlooking the Australian Parliament House. Photo: CT
“The government has received very clear security advice about the new Russian embassy being so close to Parliament House,” Mr Albanese told reporters. “We are moving quickly to ensure this site does not become an official diplomatic facility.”
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate supported the bill. “Clearly, today’s decision was made in the national security interests of Australia, and I thank the opposition coalition and its supporters in the House and Senate for their cooperation on this matter,” Mr Albanese said.
The Australian government decided to act after Russia won a Federal Court case last month to stop it building an embassy on the site.
The lease was cancelled by the Canberra local government on the basis of a lack of construction activity since it was leased in 2008.
Under the terms of the lease, Russia agreed to complete construction within three years, but the embassy remains only partially built.
The agency that manages embassy leases has decided to terminate Russia's lease on the grounds that “unfinished works are detracting from the overall aesthetics, importance and dignity of the area reserved for diplomatic missions.”
The current Russian embassy is in Griffith, away from the CBD. The Russian embassy will remain in Griffith and the Australian embassy will remain in Moscow, Mr Albanese confirmed.
Trung Kien (according to Reuters)
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