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Indonesia envoy returns to Canberra
Nadjib Riphat Kesoema: (Courtesy of Nadjib Riphat Kesoema)Indonesiaâs strained relations with its southern neighbor look to have made a turn for the better, as Indonesiaâs diplomatic envoy to Australia returned to Canberra for duty
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Nadjib Riphat Kesoema: (Courtesy of Nadjib Riphat Kesoema) (Courtesy of Nadjib Riphat Kesoema)
Nadjib Riphat Kesoema: (Courtesy of Nadjib Riphat Kesoema)
Indonesia's strained relations with its southern neighbor look to have made a turn for the better, as Indonesia's diplomatic envoy to Australia returned to Canberra for duty.
Indonesian Ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema resumed his responsibilities following an instruction by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier in the month.
According to Teuku Faizasyah, the president's spokesman on international relations, the return of the ambassador should not be interpreted too hastily as a mark of improvement in diplomatic ties between the two countries.
'The return of ambassador Nadjib does not necessarily signal the immediate thawing of relations,' he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Faizasyah said that Indonesia would still maintain its embargo on several bilateral cooperation initiatives until both parties agreed to a code of conduct (CoC).
Yudhoyono previously announced that Indonesia would continue its freeze on military and intelligence cooperation with Australia, including joint operations to deal with refugees and asylum seekers, until both countries implemented a CoC for future cooperation, the drafting of which is ongoing.
Asked about the content of the CoC, Faizasyah said that it was up to the foreign ministers of both countries to decide on a working agreement, which would directly involve both countries' leaders in later stages of negotiation. 'Anything is still possible,' he said, referring to a visit from Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in June that is pending confirmation.
'We aren't saying that the drafting of the CoC would need to be complete by Abbott's visit but, if the situation presents itself, then we would be able to resolve the issue faster.'
Faizasyah insinuated that Abbott's visit could address the diplomatic spat and could be directed toward efforts to improve relations.
Neither Nadjib nor other ministry officials could be contacted on Tuesday for comment.
Nadjib is back in the Australian capital six months after he was recalled on the back of wiretapping revelations from US National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
Snowden's reports revealed that Australia had spied on Yudhoyono, Yudhoyono's wife and eight Indonesian ministers and officials in 2009.
Yudhoyono previously invited Abbott to an international summit in Bali earlier this month, but Abbott declined, citing work commitments. Abbott phoned Yudhoyono and the two leaders discussed potential dates for a face-to-face meeting, possibly as early as next month.
As reported earlier, Abbott has not firmly accepted Yudhoyono's proposal, describing it only as a 'good way forward'. (tjs)
