By Luke Hunt
A meeting of regional foreign ministers and delegates from 14 countries in Jakarta has resulted in an agreement on several fronts designed to capture and jail people smugglers. This could lead to the extradition to Australia of Sayed Abba, an Afghan wanted in Australia on 27 charges of people smuggling.
Among the delegates was Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr and his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natelegawa, who obtained signatures from 12 countries on a declaration of 27 measures against people smuggling, which included extradition measures.
People smuggling was not a crime listed for extradition between Australia and Indonesia, which led to the courts in Indonesia to reject an extradition bid for Abbas, last month.
People Smuggling is a key election issue in Australia, where polls are due on September 7. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has toughened up Labor Party policies and forged a deal with Papua New Guinea under which asylum seeker centers will be opened and applications for refugee status decided.
Read the full story at The Diplomat