FED:E.Timor has copy of Gillard asylum plan

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2010
FED:E.Timor has copy of Gillard asylum plan

MELBOURNE, Dec 20 AAP - East Timor has received a document outlining Prime Minister
Julia Gillard's plan to send asylum seekers to the tiny island - more than five months
after she announced it.

East Timor's Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa has received the document, and says
it gives a broad concept of Ms Gillard's proposal for a regional refugee processing centre,
Fairfax newspapers report.

"I wouldn't say the document has much detail but it has more detail than we had before," he said.

"We can at last clarify what Australia has in mind to (East Timor's) cabinet."

Dili has referred talks on the plan to the Bali Process, a meeting of 50 nations on
people smuggling that is co-chaired by Indonesia and Australia.

Its members include India, Pakistan, the US, Russia, China and agencies including the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The next date for the ministerial-level Bali Process is yet to be set.

But the Gillard plan faces opposition in Asia and in East Timor.

A promised meeting between East Timorese and Australian officials has not yet happened.

Ms Gillard first revealed the proposal in July during the federal election campaign.

All major political parties in East Timor announced they were opposed to the idea but
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has said he's open to the idea being discussed.

AAP jrd/ao

KEYWORD: BOAT TIMOR

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