CANBERRA, Australia — The United States and Australia were close to announcing a deal in which the United States would resettle hundreds of asylum seekers banished by Australia to Pacific island camps, a newspaper reported on Friday.

The U.S. had agreed to accept up to 1,800 refugees held for up to three years at Australia’s expense in camps on the impoverished island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea, The Australian newspaper reported.

That could empty the camps which have been condemned by human rights groups as a cruel abrogation of Australia’s responsibilities as a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention.

Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull declined to comment on negotiations with the United States.

"There’s always speculation about these things ... and we never comment on them,” Turnbull told Melbourne Radio 3AW on Friday.