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People Smuggling Conference Ends VOA News 28 Feb 2002 10:37 UTC 
A regional conference on people smuggling has ended in Indonesia, with participants agreeing to work closely together to stem the problem.
Australia and Indonesia, co-hosts of the meeting on the island of Bali, issued a joint statement that says officials from more than 30 nations promised to strengthen legislation in their home countries to make people smuggling a criminal act. In some countries, it is not a crime.
The statement says participants also agreed to share information to identify those behind people smuggling syndicates.
In closing remarks, the foreign ministers of Australia and Indonesia praised the conference and declared it a success.
The positive tone of the remarks contrasts with the tension that has divided the two nations in the past over the people smuggling issue.
A stand-off ensued last year when Canberra blocked a ship carrying hundreds of refugees from docking in Australian territory. Jakarta refused to let the asylum seekers return to Indonesian soil, and they were eventually sent to a third country.
On Wednesday, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri pointedly criticized nations that take unilateral steps to tackle illegal immigration.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he had been assured that the comments were not directed at his country.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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