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172197
Thu, 03/31/2011 - 13:40
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https://oananews.org//node/172197
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Gusmao says no to Gillard plan: report
SYDNEY, March 31 (AAP) - East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has given his strongest indication yet that he is opposed to the idea of a refugee processing centre being built on his country's soil.
Mr Gusmao has previously privately dismissed the plan, put forward by Prime Minister Julia Gillard ahead of last year's federal election, but it has now emerged that he told The Economist magazine, well before the Bali Process meeting, that he would find it impossible to justify the proposal.
The development comes as Australia celebrates a significant victory at the summit in Bali, which resulted in agreement among 41 countries on a co-operative framework for dealing with the problem of people smuggling.
While Mr Gusmao is not directly quoted in the article in The Economist, the magazine reports that the East Timorese prime minister said during an interview in London on March 3 that he could not support the processing centre plan.
"Chief among Mr Gusmao's reasons for opposing the processing centre is the fact that he would not be able to explain to his poor countrymen why foreign asylum seekers would be entitled to international-grade health care, food, clothing and schooling for their children while so many Timorese do not," The Economist said.
But the magazine also reported that East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta remained in talks with officials in Canberra about the proposal.
Ms Gillard has also said that the discussions would continue.
Despite the failure to gain any traction in terms of the so-called East Timor solution, the agreement on a co-operative framework at the summit in Bali was a significant win for the Australian government.
The framework is supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the International Organisation for Migration, and includes reference to the potential for developing a regional assessment centre or centres.
Ms Gillard on Thursday described the outcome as a "step forward".
"We went to that meeting urging that the meeting agree to regional co-operation to deal with global and regional problems of people movement and people smuggling, and in the statement from the meeting, there is agreement to a regional co-operation framework. I welcome that," she said.
"I also welcome the fact that the framework will have specific reference to a processing centre, or centres, in that region.
"The question of the East Timor processing centre is something that Australia continues to pursue with East Timor at the highest levels," Ms Gillard said.
However, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen suggested at the conclusion of the summit on Wednesday that Australia may also seek support for a processing centre in another country other than East Timor, a proposition the Bali Process agreement makes possible.
The comments came after the leader of East Timor's delegation, Vice-Foreign Minister Alberto Carlos, said his country would prefer that Australia look elsewhere for a place to build the processing centre.
Mr Gusmao has previously privately dismissed the plan, put forward by Prime Minister Julia Gillard ahead of last year's federal election, but it has now emerged that he told The Economist magazine, well before the Bali Process meeting, that he would find it impossible to justify the proposal.
The development comes as Australia celebrates a significant victory at the summit in Bali, which resulted in agreement among 41 countries on a co-operative framework for dealing with the problem of people smuggling.
While Mr Gusmao is not directly quoted in the article in The Economist, the magazine reports that the East Timorese prime minister said during an interview in London on March 3 that he could not support the processing centre plan.
"Chief among Mr Gusmao's reasons for opposing the processing centre is the fact that he would not be able to explain to his poor countrymen why foreign asylum seekers would be entitled to international-grade health care, food, clothing and schooling for their children while so many Timorese do not," The Economist said.
But the magazine also reported that East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta remained in talks with officials in Canberra about the proposal.
Ms Gillard has also said that the discussions would continue.
Despite the failure to gain any traction in terms of the so-called East Timor solution, the agreement on a co-operative framework at the summit in Bali was a significant win for the Australian government.
The framework is supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as the International Organisation for Migration, and includes reference to the potential for developing a regional assessment centre or centres.
Ms Gillard on Thursday described the outcome as a "step forward".
"We went to that meeting urging that the meeting agree to regional co-operation to deal with global and regional problems of people movement and people smuggling, and in the statement from the meeting, there is agreement to a regional co-operation framework. I welcome that," she said.
"I also welcome the fact that the framework will have specific reference to a processing centre, or centres, in that region.
"The question of the East Timor processing centre is something that Australia continues to pursue with East Timor at the highest levels," Ms Gillard said.
However, Immigration Minister Chris Bowen suggested at the conclusion of the summit on Wednesday that Australia may also seek support for a processing centre in another country other than East Timor, a proposition the Bali Process agreement makes possible.
The comments came after the leader of East Timor's delegation, Vice-Foreign Minister Alberto Carlos, said his country would prefer that Australia look elsewhere for a place to build the processing centre.
