Australia, Indonesia discuss plans for detention centre

President Jose Ramos Horta and Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen have been discussing putting a facility in East Timor.

Australia and Indonesia have agreed to further discuss plans for a centre in East Timor to stem the flow of asylum seekers through Southeast Asia on their way to Australia.
Australia's Immigration Minister Chris Bowen discussed the matter with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa in Jakarta.
Mr Bowen says they agreed Indonesia will send officials to further talks on development of the facility.
He says Mr Natalegawa understands the importance of a processing centre in terms of a broader regional framework.
Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah stressed that the proposal is still just an idea.

Earlier, Australia and East Timor agreed to form a joint working group to develop the processing centre.
Thousands of asylum seekers head through Southeast Asian countries on their way to Australia every year and many link up with people smugglers in Indonesia.

Greens say offshore detention centre a mistake

The Australian Greens Party says the government is mistaken if it thinks an offshore processing centre for asylum seekers will make any difference to the number of boats reaching Australia.

The Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, visited East Timor yesterday to discuss plans for a regional processing centre there.

More than 100 boats carrying asylum seekers have reached Australian waters this year.

The Greens Senator, Sarah Hanson-Young, says another detention centre is not the answer.

"The government needs to be very careful not to just buy the myth that has been pedalled by the opposition and by others that if you build a big scary detention centre that is somehow going to stop people from seeking protection." (From ABC News)