The Indonesian government will not grant asylum to 77 Myanmar boat people who landed on an uninhabited island near Aceh province, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Yuri Thamrin said here the ministry was aware of their arrival and is trying to confirm their nationalities.

Yuri said the boat people did not seek asylum, but if they do, the government will reject them.

"Indonesia will hand this matter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which handles refugee issues," he was quoted by the Detikcom news website as saying.

Yuri said Indonesia didn't ratify the 1961 UN convention on refugees.

Source: Xinhua