(Transcript from SBS World News)
Malaysia and Indonesia have offered temporary shelter to thousands of people stranded at sea in South-east Asia.
They're calling on other countries around the world to support the effort, as part of a co-ordinated approach to addressing the humanitarian crisis, and combating people smuggling and human trafficking.
Kristina Kukolja has more.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
The foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the influx of possible asylum seekers and migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Thousands, mainly Muslim Rohingyas from Myanmar, have been arriving in the three countries in past days and many more are feared stranded off coastlines with little food or water.
The United Nations has called it the largest mass exodus of people since the end of the Vietnam War in the 1970s.
Malaysian Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, says it's important to immediately identify and address the root causes and other contributory factors.
But in the interim, he says those in trouble will receive help.
"Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand will continue to uphold their responsibilities and obligations under international law, and in accordance with the respective domestic laws including the provision of humanitarian assistance to the irregular migrants. Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those 7,000 irregular migrants still at sea. We also agree to offer them temporary shelter, provided that the settlement and repatriation process will be done in one year by the international community."
Mr Aman says Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand need support of other countries within the region, and beyond it.
"One: the international community will be responsible in providing Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand with the necessary support -- particularly financial assistance -- to enable them to provide shelter and humanitarian assistance to the irregular migrants currently at risk. These migrants will be sheltered in a designated area to be agreed by the affected countries and administered by a joint taskforce to be established by the affected countries. The international community would take responsibility for the repatriation of irregular migrants to their countries of origin or resettlement in the third countries within a period of one year."
Mr Aman says the law enforcement agencies of all three countries will continue to share intelligence in efforts to combat people smuggling and human trafficking.
And he sees a special role for other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.
"The ministers call on ASEAN to play an active role in addressing the issue in an effective and timely manner in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity. The ministers further recommended that convening an emergency meeting of ASEAN ministers on transnational crime to address the crisis at hand. They welcome an ASEAN initiative to establish a regional framework to address trafficking as well as provide assistance to victims through the ASEAN Convention on Trafficking in Persons."
The International Organisation for Migration has welcomed the developments out of Kuala Lumpur.
Spokesman Joe Lowry told the ABC they will save lives.
"This is a major breakthough and extremely welcome because it means that they can now be found, they can be landed, this game of maritime ping pong can actually end and they can actually land. We are waiting, us and other agencies are waiting onshore. We have funds, we have equipment, we have people ready to rehydrate and nourish people when they arrive on land."
Joe Lowry says countries in South-east Asia can benefit from taking in asylum seekers and migrants who want to leave their home countries.
"Migration is a global phenomenon and a global challenge and it actually can be a solution to many global problems as well - well managed migration is actually a really good factor for society, so now these people who will hopefully be brought ashore and they can go to countries that can welcome them in, they can go home if they want to go home, but the important thing is they can be saved and saved quickly now."
Myanmar, meanwhile, has issued a statement saying it is willing to provide humanitarian assistance to asylum seekers, but the details of what this would involve remain unknown.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has maintained that turning back boats carrying potential asylum seekers and migrants is the most effective way of targetting people smuggling.
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