T

he House of Representatives Commission I overseeing foreign affairs has blasted Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa'€™s decision to allow Ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema to return to Canberra without consulting lawmakers.

Commission members argued that such a '€œdiscreet'€ move weakened the country'€™s position in its relations with Australia. They criticized Marty'€™s decision to exclude them from the discussion that led to the return of Nadjib to Canberra last week, seven months after he was recalled following a diplomatic row between the two countries over a spying row.

Marty reached out to lawmakers to rally their political support for bringing Rifat home in November as a strong protest at allegations that Australia had eavesdropped on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s phone conversations and those of his wife and aides.

'€œThe decision to recall the ambassador was based on an agreement between the government and the House. But why did you discreetly send him back [to Canberra]? You only involved us when [you] quarreled [with Australia] but excluded us when making peace,'€ Commission I deputy chairman Tantowi Yahya of the Golkar Party said in a hearing with Marty on Tuesday.

'€œSending back the ambassador without any significant achievement in our efforts to normalize our ties with Australia reflects our weak position. I am offended by this decision,'€ Tantowi said.

Another Commission I member, deputy chairman Tubagus Hasanuddin of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the government should have had discussions with the House before making the decision.

'€œHis quiet return is unlike our earlier move to call him home, which we made with a great fanfare. In the future, the government should consult us on such an issue,'€ Tubagus said.

The return of Nadjib to Canberra was revealed after a number of media outlets in Australia reported that he had a telephone conversation with Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop upon his arrival in Canberra. Responding to lawmakers'€™ complaints, Marty apologized for unintentionally excluding Commission I when making the decision, maintaining that the move was to secure the country'€™s interests.

'€œWe want to make sure that our ambassador'€™s presence in Canberra allows for a close monitoring of the work to improve the CoC [code of conduct] which will ensure that our national interests are secured,'€ Marty said, referring to an agreement on joint efforts to restore bilateral initiatives drafted by the President.

Yudhoyono had previously announced that an embargo on military and intelligence cooperation with Australia, including joint operations related to refugees and asylum seekers, would continue until the two countries put the CoC into effect.

Marty also told Commission I that the government would expect a response regarding the CoC from Australia during a meeting between Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Batam, Riau Islands, on Wednesday.

It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since the relations soured over the wiretapping issue.

'€œIndonesia-Australia bilateral ties, based on a comprehensive partnership, will be fully restored when the two countries are able to rebuild trust and confidence based on a code of conduct,'€ presidential spokesman for foreign affairs Teuku Faizasyah said in a press statement on Tuesday.