Indonesia Confronts Australian Ambassador on Reports of Spying By JOE COCHRANE Published: November 1, 2013 JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Australia’s ambassador on Friday to respond to news media reports that Australia’s embassy in Jakarta was used as part of a United States-led spying effort, saying such actions were “not acceptable” and had harmed its diplomatic relations with both countries. The Australian ambassador, Greg Moriarty, met with Indonesian officials on Friday morning after reports this week in the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel and The Sydney Morning Herald that the intelligence collection program had been conducted from Australian Embassies in China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and East Timor, and from Australian high commissions — the equivalent of embassies among Commonwealth countries — in Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. “The purpose of the meeting was to seek clarification on the information about the facilities in the Australian Embassy in Jakarta,” said Michael Tene, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman, “as well as to convey the message that if the information is true, such acts are not acceptable to the Indonesian government and run counter to the good relationship that exists between our two countries.” Afterward, The Associated Press reported, Mr. Moriarty said, “From my perspective, it was a good meeting, and now I have to go and report directly to my government.” On Wednesday, Kristen Bauer, the chargé d’affaires of the United States Embassy in Jakarta, and currently its ranking diplomat, was also summoned. “I can confirm that we have had a meeting with the Foreign Ministry,” an embassy spokesman said, declining to comment further. Australia, a close ally of the United States, used its embassies in Asia to collect intelligence as part of the American National Security Agency’s global surveillance efforts, according to a document leaked by a former agency contractor, Edward J. Snowden, and published in Der Spiegel. On Wednesday, Marty Natalegawa, the Indonesian foreign minister, issued a scathing response to the report, demanding an explanation from the United States Embassy. “It should be emphasized that if confirmed, such actions are not only a breach of security, but also a serious breach of diplomatic norms and ethics, and certainly not in tune with the spirit of friendly relations between our nations,” he said in a statement. The Foreign Ministry issued a similarly pointed statement on Thursday in response to the report of involvement by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, calling it “totally unacceptable.” The spying allegations come at a time when both Australia and the United States are enjoying close political and security relations with Indonesia, including conducting counterterrorism and military training exercises, and offering support for the Indonesian police.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 04:04:04 +0000
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