NZ considers accepting Tamil boatpeople - report

New Zealand is looking to help Australia out of a sticky situation with refugees by considering taking some of the 78 Tamil boatpeople rescued by the Oceanic Viking.

"New Zealand is now all but certain to take some of the Tamils," The Australian newspaper reported.

A spokeswoman for New Zealand Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman yesterday confirmed the issue was being dealt with at the highest level, the newspaper said.

Mr Coleman's office said there had been "ongoing discussions" between Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, his New Zealand counterpart, John Key, as well as several New Zealand ministers.

"If people from the Oceanic Viking were to be included as part of the normal refugee quota selection process facilitated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), New Zealand would be prepared to consider them," she said.

The newspaper said Canada and possibly the United State were also expected to assist, and three of the refugees would go to Norway.

The 78 Tamils were rescued by the Australian vessel Oceanic Viking in October and taken to the Indonesian port of Tanjung Pinang. But they refused to get off the boat, insisting they be taken to Australia, their original destination. The month-long standoff ended only after Australia promised to resettle the refugees within four to 12 weeks.

Earlier this month, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said taxpayers would contribute $1 million to United Nations agencies working to resettle Tamils forced from their homes by the recent civil war in Sri Lanka, with the money split between the UN Population Fund and the UN Children's Fund.

- NZPA