Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has refused to speculate on reports Australia is close to another asylum seeker resettlement deal Malaysia, after a one on one discussion between the two leaders.
Mr Turnbull met Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Mr Turnbull only said that Australia engaged on resettlement matters with many countries.
“When agreement is reached, we make an announcement – as we recently did with respect to the United States,” Mr Turnbull told reporters in Lima.
MORE FROM THE APEC SUMMIT
APEC summit: Don't chase protectionist sugar hit, says PM Turnbull
Along with trade, it's understood the pair discussed regional security including the tensions in the South China Sea and the threat posed by terrorism in the region and foreign fighters returning from the Middle East.
What officials described as "irregular migration" was also discussed according to sources.
Last weekend Mr Turnbull announced he had struck an agreement with US President Barack Obama for the US to take hundreds of asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru.
US Homeland security officials are already in Australia and will shortly arrive in Nauru to begin assessing the refugees.
RELATED STORIES
US officials in Australia for refugee deal
Regarding a possible Malaysia deal, Mr Turnbull was asked if it were hypocritical for the Coalition government to negotiate with Malaysia, given in Opposition it refused to support the Gillard Labor government’s attempts to strike a “people-swap” refugee deal in 2011.
“What we’re seeking to do is to not make a political point but to achieve durable resettlement options for people that are currently on Nauru and Manus who were put there by the Labor Party,” Mr Turnbull said.
“Let’s not forget - I know the Labor Party wants to distract and they want to turn all of this into a political issue... our borders became porous under the Labor Party.”
Tony Abbott has retrospectively expressed some regret that as opposition leader he did not allow the Labor government to pursue its mandate.
Under the arrangement, 800 refugees that had arrived in Australia by boat were to be exchanged with 4000 verified refugees in Malaysia.
Labor is already seeking an apology if the deal gets up.
"It shows a degree of cynicism and unfitness for government to have voted against that proposal five years ago for political reasons," deputy leader Tanya Plibersek told Sky News.
"Now to be looking at it as a real option, it's shocking in the extreme."
-With AAP
