Nauru agreed today to take 237 more illegal immigrants off Australia's hands in exchange for fuel, medical expenses and power generators, government officials said.
The tiny Pacific island's decision came two days after the Australian navy boarded an Indonesian vessel carrying the 237 asylum seekers and put them on board the
HMAS Manoora
.
The navy ship is already carrying 433 asylum seekers rescued from a sinking Indonesian ferry on August 26th.
Nauru President Mr Rene Harris said his country was glad to help its friends. Australian Defence Minister Mr Peter Reith agreed the cost of the operation would probably exceed 20 million Australian dollars ($10.4 million).
"I wouldn't quibble with that", Mr Reith told reporters in Nauru, where he flew on Sunday after Nauru agreed to process the refugee applications of 283 of the original 433 boat people.
That 433, mostly from Afghanistan, became the centre of an eight-day diplomatic crisis after they were rescued by a Norwegian freighter from a sinking Indonesian ferry.
Australia and Indonesia refused to accept them before Prime Minister Mr John Howard devised a plan to disperse them to Nauru and New Zealand.