Indonesia behind rise in boat arrivals, PM says

Tony Abbott says Indonesia's suspension of co-operation on asylum seeker boats is one of the reasons behind an increase in boat arrivals.

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(File: AAP)

Prime Minister Tony Abbott believes Indonesia's suspension of co-operation is partly to blame for an increase in asylum-seeker boat arrivals in recent weeks.

Relations between Canberra and Jakarta cooled after allegations Australia's spy agency tapped the phones of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and inner circle.

President Yudhoyono has expressed a desire to get the relationship back on track before he leaves office in July 2014.

Mr Abbott is especially keen to see the resumption of co-operation on combatting people smuggling.

"I think one of the reasons why there has been an uptick in boats over the last couple of weeks has been because of this suspension," he told ABC radio on Monday.

The prime minister said Australia was ensuring protest boats did not leave here for West Papua.

"Well similarly there's more that Indonesia can do to help us there," he said.


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Source: AAP


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