Indonesia To Closely Monitor Australia's New Policy On Asylum Seekers

Jakarta, Nov 19 (Antara) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Spokesperson, Michael Tene, has said the Indonesian government will closely monitor Australia`s new policy regarding asylum seekers and refugees. "The Indonesian government is aware of the new Australian policy on refugees and there are some concerns in this regard. First, this is obviously the policy of the Australian government and hence will be implemented by them. Indonesia, however, will closely monitor the implications of this new policy and will ensure it does not harm the interests of the country," Tene said during a press conference at the MOFA`s office here on Wednesday. "Naturally, all necessary measures will be taken to protect the interests of Indonesia," he added. Australia`s new policy on asylum seekers and refugees, which was announced by Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison late on Tuesday local time, has been aimed at bringing down the number of acceptance from asylum seekers from 600 people to 450 per year. Also, the refugees who have registered with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Indonesia after July 1, 2014, will no longer be eligible for resettlement in Australia. Thus, Tene emphasized, Indonesia will continue its stance that the issues of asylum seekers and refugees in the region must be actively addressed through a comprehensive approach involving the origin regions, transit as well as destination countries. Tene added that Indonesia has elaborated its comprehensive approach, which covers prevention, early detection, protection, and prosecution, in the Jakarta Declaration on Addressing Irregular Movement of Persons, August 2013. "We have been following this approach in the Bali Process and, of course, Indonesia has always been ready to cooperate with other countries within such a framework," he pointed out. Despite being a transit country for asylum seekers and refugees to Australia, Tene stated, Indonesia has not been party to the UN Convention on Refugees 1951. The country has complied with its basic principles, particularly with regard to expulsion, return, reforming, as well as working closely with the UN agencies concerned. "Hence, we hope the countries in the region will continue to uphold certain possibilities in addressing the issues of asylum seekers and refugees," he stated. As per the latest UNHCR records, not less than 10 thousand asylum seekers and refugees were stranded in Indonesia and were awaiting resettlement as of April, while some 100 people were registering with its Jakarta office each week.