Rudd has been under pressure at home over his handling of boat people from Sri Lanka, Iraq and other countries trying to reach Australia. Along with other high-profile issues, such as climate change, he has seen a dramatic drop in the popularity of his administration, risking a loss in an election scheduled to take place later this year.    

Indonesia has also come under media scrutiny over its recent decision to detain scores of Sri Lankan boat people originally picked up by an Australian vessel in international waters on their way to Australia, with the Foreign Ministry denying rumors of a related but unannounced payment from Canberra to Jakarta.

Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal refused to detail what the two leaders would agree upon on the matter, but said the people smuggling issue would definitely be among things Yudhoyono and Rudd would discuss in the Indonesian President’s first Australian visit since being re-elected in July last year.

“Both leaders will agree on a framework to deal with people smuggling. After meeting with the prime minister, the President will also address the boat people issue in a parliamentary address, which is a very rare opportunity. He will be the first Indonesian president in history to make such a speech,” Dino said.

He said the two leaders would also discuss how to further upgrade the bilateral relationship between the two countries, including people-to-people relationships.

Observers have urged both Rudd and Yudhoyono to focus on alleviating distrust between the people of both countries by encouraging more people-to-people programs instead of spending too much energy on issues such as the Bali Nine, illegal fishing or even boat people.

A poll by the Lowy Institute think-tank shows more than half of the Australian population do not trust Indonesia to act responsibly in the world, and polling in Indonesia suggests the lukewarm feelings are mutual.

Some journalists in Sydney said that incidental issues could only upset bilateral relations temporarily.
“In the long run, boatpeople, the Bali Nine and Balibo should not upset relations,” said senior journalist Hamish McDonald.

Dino said Yudhoyono was scheduled to pay a courtesy call to Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia Quentin Bryce and Australian opposition leader Tony Abbot in Canberra before heading to Sydney for a business meeting.

A poll by the Lowy Institute think-tank shows more than half of the Australian population do not trust Indonesia ...

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