Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Monday 6 February 2017

Australia’s leader says Trump isn’t chasing a refugee deal

ROD McGUIRK Asia. Australia pays the im-
Associated Press poverished Pacific coun-
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) tries of Nauru and Papua
— Australia’s prime min- New Guinea to keep the
ister on Sunday ruled out refugees in camps.
any deal to get the United “Absolutely not,” Turnbull
States to honor an agree- said. “It’s a deal obviously
ment to resettle hundreds that President Trump has
of Muslim refugees that said he wouldn’t have en-
President Donald Trump tered into, but he has com-
has described as “dumb.” mitted to honor it.”
Prime Minister Malcom Turn- Turnbull said there would
bull also dismissed a Nine be no link between the ref-
Network television network ugee resettlement and any
journalist’s suggestion that future U.S. request for mili-
he should be offended that tary help in the Middle East
White House spokesman or the South China Sea.
Sean Spicer has repeat- Australia is one of the larg-
edly called him “Trumbull” est contributors to the U.S.-
in press briefings. Turnbull led military campaign in
said, “The important thing is Iraq and Syria. Australia
results.” has resisted U.S. pressure
Spicer says Trump has to conduct freedom of
agreed to honor an navigation exercises close Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks at Parliament House in Canberra. Turnbull on
Obama administration to artificial islands created Sunday ruled out any deal to get the United States to honor an agreement to resettle hundreds of
deal to resettle up to 1,250 by China in the contested Muslim refugees that President Donald Trump has described as “dumb.”
(Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
asylum seekers rejected by South China Sea.
Australia. Trump made the “We assess all requests for agreed in September last dent Richard Nixon over a been his week,” Turnbull
agreement during a con- military assistance on their year to accept Costa Ri- series of bombings during said. “We have seen dozens
versation with Turnbull last merits and there is no link- can refugees fleeing drug the Vietnam War. and dozens of congress-
weekend, but has since age at all between an wars. Turnbull has welcomed men and senators talking
tweeted, “I will study this arrangement relating to Australian media have de- U.S. support since media about the importance of
dumb deal!” refugee resettlement and scribed the disagreement reports emerged of his dis- the Australian alliance and
Turnbull said Trump had any other matters,” Turnbull over the refugee deal as agreement with Trump dur- talking about what a great
asked for nothing in return said. the lowest point in the bi- ing their first conversation. friend we have always
for resettling the mostly The Obama administration lateral alliance since 1973, “I don’t think there has ever been to the United States.
Muslim refugees from Af- agreed to resettle Austra- when Prime Minister Gough been more public support This has been a very good
rica, the Middle East and lia’s refugees after Australia Whitlam clashed with Presi- for Australia than there has week for Australia.”q

140 Somali refugees set to leave for US sent back to camp

TOM ODULA from seven predominantly told The Associated Press citing security concerns. rights groups have protest-
Associated Press Muslim countries, including by phone from the camp. Kenyan officials say the ed Kenya’s plans to close
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Somalia. Officials with the “My home for 27 years was refugees will be returned Dadaab, saying some of
About 140 Somali refugees International Organization a refugee camp. I was to neighboring Somalia, the more than 250,000
whose resettlement in the for Migration, which runs hoping to start a new life in where the al-Qaida-linked refugees there have re-
United States this week was the transit center in Nairobi the U.S., get an education, al-Shabab extremist group ported being pressured to
stopped by President Don- where the refugees had a job, a life. We feel bad.” continues to carry out leave the camp and that
ald Trump’s executive or- been waiting for their flights He had been on a wait- deadly attacks in the capi- Somalia remains too un-
der have been sent back to to the U.S., could not be ing list to leave for about a tal, Mogadishu, and else- stable for people to return
their refugee camp instead, reached for comment. decade, he said. The fate where. The Kenyan gov- home. Refugees who have
one of the refugees said “How would you feel? of the Somali refugees is ernment says al-Shabab heeded Kenya’s call to
Saturday. It was not clear One day you are telling especially uncertain be- uses Dadaab as a recruit- voluntarily leave have said
why they were returned a friends bye, wishing them cause Kenya’s government ing and training ground they felt betrayed because
day after a U.S. court order well, and the next you are has vowed to close their for extremists who attack assurances of safety and
blocked Trump’s ban on back where you started,” Dadaab camp, the world’s Kenya, but it has not pre- support went unfulfilled in
travelers and immigrants 28-year-old Nadir Hassan largest, by the end of May, sented any proof. Human Somalia. q