APSN | Deal for Indonesian water rescues

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Deal for Indonesian water rescues

Sydney Morning Herald - August 2, 2012

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Tell us the truth behind British arms in Asia, Mr. Hague? - Huffington Post. May 10, 2012

Kate Lamb, Jakarta – The Indonesian government is set to grant the Australian Navy and Air Force greater access in Indonesian waters but remains coy about what the deal means for asylum seeker processing.

An Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Michael Tene, sidestepped claims the agreement would result in more asylum seekers on Australian shores, as purported by the country's search and rescue agency.

"Based on the understanding [between the two countries], rescued people will be brought to the rescuers' country," Gagah Prakoso, spokesman for the Indonesian search and rescue agency told the Herald.

Mr Prakoso said this was especially the case as asylum seeker distress signals are commonly sent from satellite phones, which are only picked up by Australian authorities.

"The satellite signals cannot be reached by neighbouring search and rescue agencies such as in Indonesia or Singapore. That's why we always receive information from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority," he said.

The current search and rescue agreement does not refer specifically to asylum seekers, but in practice is where it most commonly applies.

Mr Tene was unwilling to comment on where asylum seekers rescued by Australian authorities in Indonesian waters would be processed, but reiterated the agreement was only an extension of existing operations.

"The joint communique issued in Darwin said both countries will advance co-operation. It means we will start from something that we already have, we will not start a completely new co-operation," he said in Jakarta yesterday.

The proposed deal, expected to be signed next month, follows the latest round of bilateral talks on the issue after the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, met the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in Darwin in June.

The Indonesian Defence Minister, Purnomo Yusgiantoro, said the agreement would deepen maritime co-operation and eliminate confusion over who should respond to distress calls.

Hundreds of asylum seekers have drowned en route to Australia over the past year and many more have issued distress calls.

Meanwhile, a group of suspected asylum seekers swam ashore to the Cocos Islands yesterday after their boat arrived at the Australian territory undetected.