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Australia tackles refugee source Australia tackles refugee source
(about 11 hours later)
The Australian foreign minister, Stephen Smith, is to meet senior Sri Lankan leaders in Colombo to discuss ways of tackling people-smuggling. Sri Lanka and Australia have agreed to set up a joint mechanism to tackle the problem of people smuggling.
His visit comes amid a stand-off in Indonesia involving nearly 80 Tamil asylum seekers. The agreement was signed in Colombo by the two countries' foreign ministers.
They are refusing to leave an Australian vessel that rescued them last month. It comes amid a stand-off in Indonesia involving nearly 80 Sri Lankan asylum-seekers who are refusing to leave the Australian boat that intercepted them.
The Australian authorities say the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka has led to a surge in Tamil asylum seekers. The Australian government says the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka has led to a surge in Tamil asylum-seekers arriving on its shores.
The arrival of many asylum seekers, including Sri Lankans displaced by the civil war, has become a controversial political issue in Australia. The growing number of asylum-seekers is becoming a political issue in Australia, with the government facing criticism for softening the immigration laws since it took office in 2007.
Stopping at source? Reconciliation
The government in Canberra has been criticised by the opposition for being too soft on the issue of asylum seekers. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith met his counterpart, Rohitha Bogollagama, and other senior officials in Colombo to discuss ways of tackling people-smuggling.
Now, Australia wants the Sri Lankan government to do more to control the flow of Tamil civilians leaving the island nation. Australia wants the Sri Lankan government to do more to control the flow of Tamil civilians leaving the island.
The visiting Australian foreign minister's talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama will be on ways of tackling people smuggling. Mr Smith called on the Sri Lankan government to embrace political reforms and reconciliation as a way of securing lasting peace, following its defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in May.
He has called on the Sri Lankan government to embrace political reforms and reconciliation as a way of securing lasting peace, following its defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels in May this year.
Mr Smith also urged the Colombo authorities to accelerate the resettlement of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians displaced by the war and now confined in government-run camps in the north.Mr Smith also urged the Colombo authorities to accelerate the resettlement of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians displaced by the war and now confined in government-run camps in the north.
The measures, Australia hopes, will reduce the number of Sri Lankans leaving the country.The measures, Australia hopes, will reduce the number of Sri Lankans leaving the country.
But Sri Lankan officials say many of the asylum seekers are economic refugees who are trying to use the war as an excuse to seek a better life.But Sri Lankan officials say many of the asylum seekers are economic refugees who are trying to use the war as an excuse to seek a better life.