Indonesian authorities have asked an Australian Customs ship carrying 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to move to a new port, Australian prime minister said Tuesday.
Kevin Rudd told parliament Indonesian authorities had now asked for the ship to dock at a new port, the port of Kijang, rather than Tanjung Pinang previously.
"Australian authorities have agreed with that request," he told question time.
Rudd said he had discussed the humanitarian situation with the asylum seekers with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at his inauguration ceremony last week.
Subsequent discussions about where to land the asylum seekers were held at a diplomatic level, Rudd said.
The 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers were rescued from their stricken vessel by Australian
authorities 10 days ago. The passengers on board the Australian Customs ship Oceanic Viking refused to disembark from the boat when it docked at the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pinang.