New Zealand offers to take in Rohingya migrants

Source thestar, 28 May

This boat crammed with scores of Rohingya migrants, including many young children was found drifting in Thai waters off the southern island of Koh Lipe. Passengers said that several people had died over the last few days    Photograph: Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images

AUCKLAND: New Zealand could take in some of the Rohingya migrants under its resettlement programme, says Prime Minister John Key. 

The country has a quota of 750 refugees every year under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) plan. 

"It's quite possible we can accomodate some of this refugees under the programme," he said to a group of South-East Asian journalists taking part in the 40th anniversary of the New Zealand-Asean programme. 

But he said the country would not increase the quota to accommodate more emigrants even though he was concerned about the situation.

"That's because we're trying to take a really comprehensive programme for the refugees," he added. 

New Zealand was among 17 countries that took part in a special meeting on irregular migration, Thursday. 

Key expressed his concern on the Rohingya migrants who are drifting into sea to neighbouring countries including Malaysia. 

"We understand that they have no where to go," he added. 

Separately, Key said he was increasingly confident that the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) would be signed this year.