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uly 3, Online

The leaders of Australia and Indonesia agreed Tuesday to strengthen maritime ties as part of a bid to combat people-smuggling, after two boats carrying Australia-bound migrants capsized and left dozens dead in the past two weeks.

The debate over how to cope with the increasing flow of asylum seekers has intensified in Australia since the boat disasters, in which more than 90 people are believed to have been killed.

The boats sank in the Indian Ocean between Indonesia and the Australian territory of Christmas Island, where Australia runs an immigration detention center.

Your comments:

This is only soft diplomatic speak by Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Australia has already given millions of dollars and three new patrol boats in failed attempts to help the Indonesian government stop the traffic. Indonesia does not want to stop people-smuggling because it is a lucrative business for government officials.

Gillard did suggest that the Indonesian maritime search-and-rescue personnel should get help to strengthen communications because they couldn’t comprehend a simple fax sent to them recently.

What a waste of time for Julia and SBY to pretend that there will be an outcome!

Baz