MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Australia's policy in regard to refugees has been repeatedly criticized by different rights groups. The Nauru camp has come under increased media focus since August after The Guardian published over 2,000 leaked files documenting large-scale abuse, particularly of children, at the facility.
"I can now confirm that the government has reached a further third country resettlement arrangement for refugees presently in regional processing centers. The agreement is with the United States," Turnbull said at a press conference, as quoted by the ABC broadcaster.
The deal will only concern those who are at the moment in the detention centers and will not apply to anyone who attempts to reach Australia in the future, the prime minister stressed.
"It is a one-off agreement, it will not be repeated," Turnbull noted.
The resettlement process will reportedly begin next year, possibly focusing on the families.
In October, Turnbull announced that Australia would no longer grant any kind of visas to the people who try to reach the country illegally, usually on a boat.
Australia detains refugees who come to the country to seek asylum in offshore detention camps on the Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and Nauru in the South Pacific while their application is being processed by Canberra.
