Australia unlikely to accept Guantanamo Bay detainees

Source: Xinhua  |   2009-1-2  |     ONLINE EDITION

THE Australian government said today it was unlikely to allow any Guantanamo Bay detainees to resettle in Australia.

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard today confirmed Australia and other nations were asked last month to consider resettling detainees from the controversial US military prison.

Gillard said "the Bush administration first approached Australia in early 2008 with a request to resettle a small group of detainees from Guantanamo in Australia."

But she said in a statement that "After appropriate consideration, Australia declined to allow resettlement of that small group in Australia."

Gillard said earlier today that the government would consider accepting some Guantanamo Bay detainees on condition that the prisoners must be under rigorous assessment process.

The United States has cleared about 60 Guantanamo Bay detainees for release, but they cannot be returned to their home nations due to security concerns.