Australia ends Lanka freeze

6 July 2010 04:04 am

Australia's new Prime Minister Julia Gillard Tuesday ended a three-month freeze on processing Sri Lankan asylum-seekers, and said a bar on Afghan claims was under review.

"The government has decided to lift immediately the suspension on processing claims of Sri Lankans," Gillard told Sydney's Lowy Institute think-tank.

"I am not immediately ending the suspension of processing of Afghan asylum seekers, but my government will keep that decision under review in the coming weeks and months," she added. (AFP)