Exchange may help solve Guantanamo Bay problem

Howard's US Refugee Exchange may help solve Guantanamo Bay problem

"The US Refugee Exchange program as announced by Immigration Minister is useful for the US Administration, in the context of the looming closure demands by the US courts, as well as the increasing pressure on the US Administration coming from the changing political landscape in South America, starting with Cuba, over the future of the Guantanamo Bay facility," WA Rights group Project SafeCom said.

"Not only can the US Administration now start to offload to Australia those Cuban and Haitian outcasts who are held in Guantanamo it does not want, but it can also start negotiating covertly with the Australian government about the transfer to Australia of others held at Guantanamo."

"We could envisage that any transfers to Australia, from Guantanamo Bay will happen on military flights, and we could also consider it likely that these flights will first fly to the Christmas Island detention centre, rather than on to the Australian mainland," spokesman Jack H Smit said.

"Perhaps we will soon be able to conclude what the true reasons are for the building of the Christmas Island detention centre," Mr Smit concluded.

ENDS

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