Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Australia has rejected an Indonesian plea to fast-track people assessed to be genuine refugees from Indonesia, despite pressuring the Government in Jakarta to do more to stop asylum seekers reaching Australia.
The Immigration Minister, Mr Ruddock, one of three Federal ministers visiting Jakarta, said yesterday that more asylum seekers would try to reach Indonesia if they thought obtaining refugee status in the country was so "fast and expeditious over places elsewhere".
Holding out little hope for quick resettlement of hundreds of people assessed by the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) who are trapped in Indonesia, Mr Ruddock told journalists: "You have to get the balance right in relation to the outcome." He said Australia would eventually only accept people with "significant linkages" to Australia and that other developed countries were expected to accept the rest.
Earlier, Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Mr Hassan Wirayuda, said Indonesia "regretted" that so many of those granted refugee status had not been taken to third countries, including Australia. The UNHCR grants people refugee status if they are found to have a genuine fear of persecution if they were to return to their own country.
During two days of talks with Indonesian ministers in Jakarta Mr Ruddock, the Foreign Minister, Mr Downer, and the Defence Minister, Mr Reith, discussed what they called a "comprehensive strategy" to fight people smuggling, but failed to announce any concrete deal. Ministers from both sides agreed to push for a conference involving South-East Asian nations to discuss a joint regional approach to combat the problem.
During the talks Indonesian ministers declined a renewed offer from Australia to build a detention centre in Indonesia where asylum seekers could have their status assessed. But Mr Downer said Indonesia had instead agreed to boost the capacity of about 17 existing immigration quarantine centres around the country, most of which are poorly guarded and allow illegal arrivals to come and go freely. He said Australia would help provide the funds.
The Indonesians agreed to review their laws to crack down on people-smuggling syndicates, including the possibility of extraditing smugglers to Australia to stand trial. Ministers from both sides agreed to boost co-operation between the defence forces of both countries. Talks would begin as early as next week in Bali.
Meetings of senior immigration and police officials from both countries to improve co-operation are also being arranged. Mr Downer said at the end of the talks: "We have been very pleased with the response we have got. This is a very significant problem for both Indonesia and Australia and, for that matter, for other countries in the region."
The Indonesian President, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, declined to meet Mr Downer, Mr Ruddock and Mr Reith during the visit, prompting speculation that she was unhappy with Australia over its handling of the Tampa crisis. She refused to take a call from Mr Howard after he had demanded that Indonesia take back the asylum seekers on the Tampa. But officials at the presidential palace said the three ministers were scheduled to meet Ms Megawati last night.
Yesterday she delivered her annual budget address to parliament. She is scheduled today to visit Aceh, where police and troops are accused of slaughtering scores of civilians during a military offensive against the Free Aceh Movement.