Australia worried about Vietnamese boatpeople sailing from

Australia worried about Vietnamese boatpeople sailing from Indonesia

Agence France-Presse Sydney, Australia/Jakarta

Australian authorities has expressed concern to Indonesia over its decision to allow 42 Vietnamese boatpeople to sail for Australia in an unsafe and overcrowded wooden boat, officials said on Tuesday.

Indonesian police say the boatpeople had set sail on Saturday after they were barred from landing in the country because of initial fears they could be carrying the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus.

But the 42 Vietnamese men, women and children were medically examined, found to be clear of the virus, then stocked up with fuel, food, water and medical supplies and sent on their way.

Their boat was off the coast of Borneo on early Tuesday on a course which, if completed, could see them become the first boatpeople to try and land in Australia since Canberra declared war on illegal immigration almost two years ago.

However, the boat is believed to be in such an unsafe condition that it may not make it, and maritime agencies have been alerted to keep a lookout in case a rescue is required.

The decision of Indonesian authorities to allow the boat to sail to Australia has raised concerns the episode could sour an already sensitive relationship ahead of a people-smuggling conference being hosted by the two countries in Bali next week.

But Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday Jakarta's decision to allow a group of Vietnamese boatpeople to sail for Australia will not affect relations with Canberra.

"This case illustrates that this is still an ongoing issue which we need to solve jointly," spokesman Marty Natalegawa told AFP.

Asked whether local authorities made a mistake by letting the Vietnamese go, Marty said, "We are left wondering under what circumstances we can detain them."

He denied the case was an embarrassment for Indonesia before the Bali conference.

"Really, we are not the source of the problem. We just happen to be a country to which they have transited," Marty said.

Police said the Vietnamese wanted to go to Australia, a goal which could see them become the first boatpeople to try and land in that country since Canberra declared war on illegal immigration almost two years ago.

Marty said Indonesia and Australia have had "very good co- operation" on the issue over the past year.

If the boat lands on Australian territory, it would be the first to do so since Aug. 22, 2001, when 359 people landed at Christmas Island.

The last vessel to attempt a landing in Australia was turned around by the navy in December 2001, with those on board sent to Pacific island holding camps under Australia's so-called Pacific Solution.

Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said on Tuesday that it was no surprise Indonesia did not try to stop the boat, and the issue had been raised with Jakarta at the weekend.

Indonesia had always taken the view that it had no specific obligations toward people who were seeking to transit to another country, Ruddock said in a radio interview.

The Australian embassy in Jakarta had taken up the issue with Indonesia directly and at this stage, the response was that Indonesia would consider what it could do about it.

"It's a little too early to be prescriptive about that, those representations have only been made over the course of this weekend," Ruddock said.

But Ruddock said he hoped the next week's conference would foster close ties between the two nations.

"The conference that's being held next week with Indonesia is a co-operative exercise in that it's one that's worked well in recent times and one which we hope will continue to work well," he said.