SYDNEY, Nov 23 (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Tony
Abbott said on Saturday he had written a letter to Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over a spying row that has
knocked relations between the neighbours to their lowest point
since the late 1990s.
Allegations that Canberra spied on the Indonesian leader and
his wife have triggered anti-Australian demonstrations in
Jakarta and have begun to damage commercial ties, with a
state-owned Indonesian firm on Friday suspending talks with
Australian cattle farmers, citing trust issues.
Abbott, speaking to reporters in Sydney, said he had replied
to a letter from the Indonesian leader, but he did not give any
details.
Indonesia has demanded an apology from Australia over the
allegations, which emerged from leaked intelligence released by
U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden.
“I have written to President Yudhoyono and the letter is now
in the process of being delivered,” said Abbott, who emphasised
the importance of the relationship with Indonesia and
acknowledged the damage the row had done.
“Now, obviously, there will be good days and there will be
better days,” Abbott said of the relationship.
Australian Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said he had
postponed a visit to Indonesia due to the row.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard has told CNN Abbott
should promise not to tap the Indonesian leader’s phone in
future, citing the way U.S. President Barack Obama handled
similar allegations that the U.S. was spying on German
Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Indonesia is a major importer of Australian agricultural
produces such as wheat and live cattle, while Australia is
Indonesia’s 10th-largest export market.
Yudhoyono said on national television on Wednesday he was
freezing military and intelligence cooperation, including on the
thorny issue of asylum seekers, a perennial irritant in
relations.
The spying row is straining relations already soured by
pressure from Abbott’s government since it was elected in
September to return asylum-seeker boats to Indonesia, which
Jakarta has resisted. Asylum seekers, many from South Asia and
the Middle East, often try to reach Australia via Indonesia.
Abbott has not publicly confirmed the spying but has
expressed regret for embarrassment the media reports caused
Yudhoyono and his family.
(Reporting by Christopher McCall; Editing by Robert Birsel)
