The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
An Australian envoy is due here next week to explain new legislation on Australia's policy of unauthorized boat arrivals, an Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
Desra Percaya said Thursday the special envoy planned to explore the details of the legislation. ""They want to discuss it with us,"" he said.
He said the Indonesian government was still waiting for an explanation from the Australian government on the legislation to make an assessment.
""The legislation is only a plan. We want to hear more details from them,"" he said.
In a statement, the Australia Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, senator Amanda Vanstone, said the Australian government would introduce legislation to further strengthen border-control measures in relation to unauthorized boats.
The legislation says all unauthorized boat arrivals will be transferred to offshore centers for assessment of their claims.
The Australian government hopes the legislation will effectively eliminate the distinction between unauthorized boat arrivals at an excised offshore place and those who reach the mainland. The minister says the changes will apply to all unauthorized boat arrivals, regardless of their nationality.
Senator Vanstone said people found to be refugees would remain offshore until resettlement to a third country was arranged.
The new legislation will apply to people arriving from the date of announcement and any boat arrivals can expect to be processed offshore. Unauthorized boat arrivals who have already applied for protection before the date will not be affected by the changes, the statement said.
The Australian government will also increase its capacity to patrol Australia's northern waters to identify and locate any potential unauthorized arrivals.
Meanwhile, seven members of the House of Representatives will visit Australian on May 1 to seek more firsthand information about the 42 Papuans seeking asylum in Australia and to explain Indonesia's stance on the issue.
Their spokesman Yuddy Chrisnandi said the legislators would be in Australia for four days to meet Australian MPs, House members on international relations and the minister for immigration and multicultural affairs.
""If it is possible, we will meet also with Prime Minister, John Howard,"" he said.
The visit is meant as part of ""total diplomacy"" with the Australian government. ""So far, they've just heard everything from the Indonesian government's (point of view). We are representing all Indonesian people,"" he said.
Relations between the Indonesian and Australian governments have been declining since Australia granted temporary visas to 42 Papuan asylum seekers.
The Australian authorities granted the temporary visas based upon criteria set internally and in line with the United Nations charter; criteria intended to protect refugee claimants from the possibility of retribution, institutionalized or not, upon people claiming asylum on foreign shores.
