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occer'€™s world governing body FIFA has turned down the Indonesian government'€™s request for a meeting over the looming threat of a national suspension.

In his letter to the Youth and Sports Ministry, dated May 22, FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke said that the requested meeting was not possible because it would clash with the build-up to the FIFA Congress scheduled for May 29 in Zurich.

'€œAs an initial point, we regretfully inform you that it is not possible to meet your delegation at short notice given that your requested meeting dates coincide with the week of the 65th FIFA Congress,'€ Valcke said in the letter, a copy of which was available to The Jakarta Post.

The copy was emailed to the Post by the chairman of the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI), La Nyalla Mattalitti, who had appeared pessimistic about the ministry'€™s plan to meet FIFA officials.

La Nyalla is currently in Zurich to attend the congress. He said he also used the occasion to lobby FIFA officials against imposing sanctions on Indonesian soccer.

FIFA, in a previous letter sent to the PSSI, threatened a suspension if the row between the PSSI and the ministry caused by their differences over the eligibility of two clubs in the Indonesian Super League was not resolved by May 29.

In Friday'€™s letter FIFA reiterated its threat by urging the ministry to revoke its suspension of the PSSI.

'€œAs the remaining content of your correspondence, we remind you of our correspondence dated 4 May 2015 informing PSSI that all actions taken by the ministry (or its agencies) placing PSSI in violation of art. 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statutes needed be withdrawn by 29 May 2015, failing which the matter would be referred to the appropriate FIFA body to consider an immediate suspension,'€ it said.

Meanwhile, the ministry'€™s assistant for development and partnerships, Gatot S. Dewa Broto, said he regretted FIFA'€™s refusal to meet the ministry'€™s representatives, saying that they should have been given the chance to defend the policy.

'€œWe regret it. We would love to be given the chance to defend ourselves,'€ Gatot told the Post.

While facing the prospect of a FIFA suspension, Indonesia has been forced to play its World Cup and Asian Cup qualifier against Iraq in an empty stadium and its home tie against Thailand at a neutral venue, Reuters reported.

The decision was taken by the Asian Football Confederation after crowd trouble occurred during two under-23 matches in March against Timor Leste and South Korea in Jakarta.

Indonesia, which was also fined US$20,000 by the AFC and warned of heavier sanctions should such incidents recur, is scheduled to host Iraq on June 16 after they start their joint qualifying campaign in Taiwan on June 11.

The Indonesian team then travels to Hanoi to face Vietnam in September before an Oct. 8 clash at home against Southeast Asian champion Thailand.

But whether Indonesia will be allowed to compete in the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers still remains in doubt with the domestic game in lockdown after the season was cancelled because of the PSSI and ministry row.

The lack of talks between the two parties suggests a FIFA ban is most likely.

Indonesia technical director Peter Hoekstra said a suspension would be hugely damaging and added that the government row had already harmed his work.

'€œIt would be very damaging,'€ the former Dutch and Ajax Amsterdam winger told BBC World Football, as reported by Reuters.

'€œUnfortunately for us, the ministry stepped in and it looks like they are killing off the initiatives we tried to bring in.'€