Some asylum seekers accept deal, says Indonesia

Geoff Thompson, Indonesia correspondent

Last Updated: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:18:00 +1100

Indonesia's top immigration official says 20 of 78 Sri Lankans aboard an Australian government ship are ready to disembark and be placed in detention in Indonesia.

Indonesia's director-general of immigration, Ba'asyir Achmad Barmawi, cannot say if the deal is agreed or when it will happen.

But he says he has heard that 20 of the Sri Lankans still aboard the customs vessel Oceanic Viking are ready to go ashore.

They would enter detention in Tanjung Pinang while they wait to be resettled.

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says there is no guarantee that asylum seekers on board the Oceanic Viking will be resettled in Australia if they are found to be refugees.

The government has offered help with having their asylum claims processed and a guarantee of resettlement.

But Mr Rudd says the group is not getting special treatment.

"There are 16 resettlement countries around the world; Australia is one of them," he said.

"The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, working for refugees, working with us, and working with the other resettlement countries, could send these individuals to any particular country."

The Australia Government has offered the Tamils resettlement in Australia within as little as a month and up to three months from the moment they disembark in Indonesia.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Teuku Faizasyah, says he has also received some positive indications from Australian negotiators but said he is not sure how many of the asylum seekers are prepared to move to the detention centre.

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