Nauru now bound by UN refugee convention

NAURU is now officially a party to the UN refugee convention

NAURU is now officially a party to the UN refugee convention.

The tiny Pacific nation -- Tony Abbott's preferred destination for asylum-seekers -- signed the paperwork necessary to join the convention in June.

After waiting 90 days for the UN to process the paperwork, the Nauruan government confirmed yesterday that it was now a party to the convention.

Nauru's decision to sign the convention bolstered the Opposition Leader's calls to recommence offshore processing of asylum-seekers in the island's mothballed detention centre. Labor has ruled out returning to Nauru.