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Australian police escort the asylum seekers back to shore - Source: APTN -
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Australia insisted that 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers rescued by one of its customs ship would not be brought to Australia, despite media reports that Indonesian officials had refuse to accept the boatpeople.
"There is an agreement between Australia and the government of Indonesian that the people who were rescued in the open seas will go to Indonesia and be processed ... that is what will occur," Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told local radio.
"It is not a matter for the Sri Lankans onboard to decide where they make their application for refugee status. We absolutely defend their right to make that application, but they were picked up on the high seas, it is not their choice."
A rise in boatpeople arrivals this year has created a political headache for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a year out from an election, as asylum seekers are a hot-button political issue with Australian voters. Rudd has sought help from Jakarta and other neighbours over the politically sensitive issue.
Australian media reported an Indonesian provincial governor has refused to allow the Sri Lankans off the Oceanic Viking customs ship, which rescued them 10 days ago, saying Indonesia was not a dumping ground for other countries.
Indonesian officials said the Australian ship would be taken to a navy base and the Sri Lankans transferred to the Tanjung Pinang immigration detention centre.
Australian media said the reported stand-off meant Rudd's efforts to stop the flow of boatpeople reaching Australia, in part by funding Indonesian detention centres, was now in chaos.
Rudd and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held talks last week about a pact to combat people trafficking, including more aid for Jakarta in return for interception in Indonesia of Australia-bound asylum boats.
Indonesia's navy recently intercepted another boat carrying 260 Sri Lankans off the Java coast after Rudd spoke directly with Indonesia's president over the issue.
Rudd has defended the so-called "Indonesian solution" of detention and processing asylum seekers in Indonesia on the basis it may prevent perilous sea journeys by boatpeople.
