New York Times urges Europe not to follow Australia's asylum seeker policy

The New York Times has branded the Australian government's policy to stop asylum seeker boats as inhumane and urged European leaders not to follow suit.

The US outlet, in an editorial published on Thursday (US time), warned it would be unconscionable for Europe to replicate the hard-line approach as its governments try to deal with thousands of asylum seekers and migrants trying to cross the continent.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott's "policies have been inhumane, of dubious legality and strikingly at odds with the country's tradition of welcoming people fleeing persecution and war", the editorial said.

European officials who've recently travelled to Australia on fact-finding missions must not copy the approach taken by Australia.

"Mr Abbott, who argues that aggressively intercepting the boats saves lives, has urged European governments to follow his model, and some European leaders seem so inclined," the editorial said.

"It is inexcusable that some (refugees) find themselves today in situations that are more hopeless and degrading than the ones that prompted them to flee."