Australia-Indonesia to Mend Relations Damaged by Espionage Scandal
Australia and Indonesia have reached a deal to mend relations that were jeopardized last year post accusations of Australian spying.
Last November, claims of Australian agents tapping the cell phones of the Indonesian President, his wife and eight ministers as well as officials in 2009 came to the fore, an official told Associated Press Tuesday.
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told ABC that a "joint understanding" had been reached and a deal between the two nations would be signed soon, BBC reports. "We have reached agreement on the joint understanding and we are currently arranging a time to sign it," Bishop said in a statement.
She further said that intelligence sharing and military and border co-operation would resume post the signing of the agreement.
Documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden's stated that Australia had spied on Indonesia's outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. After the revelations, Indonesia responded by briefly withdrawing its ambassador.
The Australian media first reported the allegations in November 2013. Relations have gradually improved over time with Indonesian ambassador Nadjib Riphat Kesoema returning to Canberra in May; however, Indonesia has been demanding formal reassurances that Australia will not spy on its leaders in future, Voice of America reports.
Relations between Indonesia and Australia were sour even before the espionage scandal came to light due to Prime Minister Tony Abbott's policy of returning boats full of Australia-bound asylum seekers back to Indonesia.
Foreign Minister Bishop added that she and Abbott will soon be travelling to Indonesia to sign a code of conduct. However, she refrained from revealing the details of the deal.
