REFUGEE

NORWAY has again come to the rescue of an Australian prime minister desperate to resettle stateless boatpeople, with Oslo confirming it will take some of the Tamils rescued by the Oceanic Viking.

Seven years after the Scandinavian state gave a home to the Afghans rescued by the MV Tampa, Norwegian officials have confirmed they are considering taking three of the 78 Sri Lankans.

And as Tony Abbott attacked the Tamils for "blackmailing" their way out of Indonesia, New Zealand said it was likely to take some of the refugees. The Australian understands Canada and possibly the US are also expected to assist.

The deal amounts to a diplomatic coup for Kevin Rudd, who was heavily criticised over his handling of the issue and the strain it placed on relations with Jakarta.

A spokeswoman for New Zealand Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman yesterday confirmed the issue was being dealt with at the highest level.



She said there had been "ongoing discussions" between Kevin Rudd and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, as well as several ministers. "If people from the Oceanic Viking were to be included as part of the normal refugee quota selection process facilitated by the UNHCR, New Zealand would be prepared to consider them," she said.

Sources have told The Australian New Zealand is now all but certain to take some of the Tamils who were on the Oceanic Viking, most of whom will still end up in Australia.

Speaking through a spokesman, Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion director-general Thor Arne Aass told The Australian the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had approached Oslo. "The ministry has notified the UNHCR that Norway will assess the cases of three refugees with family links to Norway when the UNHCR submits them," Mr Aass said.

The 78 Tamils were rescued by the Oceanic Viking in October and taken to the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pinang. But they refused to get off the boat, insisting they be taken to Australia, their original destination. The month-long standoff ended only after Australia promised to resettle the refugees within four to 12 weeks.

But the Opposition Leader attacked the government yesterday for caving in to the Sri Lankans' demands. "Basically those Tamils got what they wanted," Mr Abbott said. "They effectively blackmailed the government into giving them what they wanted."

Norway, Sweden and Canada were among the countries which helped to resettle the 433 asylum-seekers rescued in 2001 by the Tampa, a Norwegian vessel.