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View all search resultsMinister to meet UNHCR representatives over new Australian law
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi says she will talk to representatives of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Indonesia on Thursday to get a clearer explanation on how the UN body will deal with the recently announced Australian law that aims to limit the number of asylum seekers applying from Indonesia
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F
oreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi says she will talk to representatives of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Indonesia on Thursday to get a clearer explanation on how the UN body will deal with the recently announced Australian law that aims to limit the number of asylum seekers applying from Indonesia.
'I will speak with UNHCR on the impact of the Australian policy on Indonesia. ['¦] Notably, this kind of problem must be the responsibility of the origin, transit and destination countries,' Retno told The Jakarta Post at the Foreign Ministry office in Jakarta on Thursday.
'If the burden is put only on the transit country, it wouldn't be fair. This is what I will remind the UNHCR,' she added.
The minister went on to say that she would also consult on the matter with the Australian government.
During her recent meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia, Retno reminded her Australian counterpart to 'learn from past experiences on policies that did not impact bilateral relations of the two countries'.
'Indonesia and Australia are neighboring countries; therefore, it is a must for us to have and maintain good bilateral relations,' she said.
The new Australian policy on asylum seekers announced on Nov. 18 states that Australia will not resettle any asylum seekers who submitted their applications through the UNHCR office in Jakarta after July 1, 2014.
Australia has also limited the quota of refugees available in Indonesia to 450 places a year, from the previous 600 places.
Over 10,000 asylum seekers fleeing instability in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan are currently stranded in Indonesia. (ebf)(+++)
