FED: First Kosovo refugees here next week

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-1999
FED: First Kosovo refugees here next week

CANBERRA, April 9 AAP - The first of 4,000 Kosovo refugees would arrive in Australia late
next week, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

"People will all come into a reception area, probably near Holsworthy in Sydney," Mr Howard
told Melbourne Radio 3AW.

"And then they will be distributed to different parts of Australia."

Mr Howard said full details of the plan would be announced at noon by Immigration Minister
Philip Ruddock after the premiers had been briefed at today's premiers' conference.

Mr Howard said all states would house at least some of the refugees, but he denied they
would be sent to remote military establishments.

"There aren't any that can be characterised as completely remote," he said.

"Some are are a little further from population centres than others."

Mr Howard said he didn't know the full cost of the operation to accept 4,000 temporary
refugees from Kosovo, but the airlift alone would cost four to five million dollars.

AAP ss/kr

KEYWORD: KOSOVO REFUGEES AUST

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