Asia-Pacific countries today pledged to work together to tackle people smuggling and the flow of asylum seekers across the region.

Ministers and officials from 13 countries meeting in Jakarta said they would take measures including promoting cooperation among law enforcement agencies and adopting laws that criminalise the smuggling activity, a statement said.

The countries will also review and tighten visa policies, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

“Each country will take steps to ensure that visa arrangements are not abused by people smugglers,” he said.

The conference brought together countries where many refugees originate including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, transit countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, and Australia as a destination nation.

Each year, thousands of undocumented migrants from Middle Eastern and South Asian countries travel by boat from Indonesia to Australia, often with the help of people smugglers.

Iran was not represented at the Jakarta meeting, even though Iranians account for one-third of this year’s boat people trying to reach Australia.

- dpa