SYDNEY—The Australian government does not want to leave Indonesia to shoulder the burden of 78 asylum seekers on board an Australian customs vessel, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.
Mr Smith said a solution can only be achieved if the two countries work together.
"We have had ... good co-operation with Indonesia, but we are faced now (with) a heightened challenge," he told ABC Television on Wednesday night.
"We do not want to leave Indonesia in the lurch, we are not seeking to have them bear the burden by themselves.
"We can only deal with this by working together with them and also with other countries ... in our region."
As the 78 Sri Lankans, including five women and five children, spent their 10th day aboard the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking anchored off Bintan Island, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd maintained the group would be handed over to Indonesian authorities.
Some have reportedly threatened to kill themselves if forced ashore at Bintan.
Mr Smith said because the asylum seekers were rescued on the high seas, it was not for them to decide which country in which they make their claim for refugee status.
He said the government would proceed with patience.
"I remain hopeful that this can be done in a civilised and dignified way," he said.
"We are doing what we started out to do, we are going to complete a search and rescue mission and we are going to be patient as we have been, both with the Sri Lankan asylum seekers on board and also with our discussions with Indonesian authorities."
