The head of the Australian Border Protection Command, Rear Admiral Michael Noonan, is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka to discuss various issues relating to maritime security, including refugees travelling to Australia by boat.
Noonan met with Sri Lanka’s Navy Commander Jayantha Perera at the SLN headquarters on Tuesday and is reported to have thanked Sri Lanka for its cooperation in “combating people smuggling”.
“The Australian Border Protection Commander expressed his appreciation of the cooperation extended by Sri Lanka Navy for combating people smuggling ventures at the operational level and pledged his support for SLN’s continued efforts to prevent perilous journeys taking place from Sri Lankan shores,” the navy said after the meeting.
The navy also said that it drew attention to the “counter measures implemented to thwart illegal maritime migration”, according to the Daily Mirror.
Australia’s High Commission in Colombo said that Noona met with newly-appointed members of Sri Lanka's defence leadership to discuss ongoing “cooperation across a range of maritime security issues, including people smuggling”.
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157 asylum seekers transferred to Nauru in 'secret overnight operation' (02 August 2014)
Amnesty condemns detainment of Tamil asylum seekers on Australian patrol boat (17 July 2014)
Australia may have breached refugee convention by returning asylum seekers to Sri Lanka - UNHCR (16 July 2014)
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