THE GUARDIAN
By Bridie Jabour
10/31/2013
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Elephant-eared, anteater-nosed Abbot has much to answer for |
Indonesia’s foreign ministry released a statement saying the Australian ambassador, Greg Moriarty, was expected to report to the government on Friday.
"The Australian ambassador in Jakarta has been summoned to the foreign affairs ministry on Friday for an official explanation from the Australian government regarding the story," the statement said.
"As a neighbouring country and friends, such an act as has been reported does not reflect at all the spirit of friendship ... and this is something regarded by the Indonesian government as totally unacceptable."
It was reported that surveillance collection facilities were in place at embassies in Jakarta, Bangkok, Hanoi, Beijing and Dili, and high commissions in Kuala Lumpur and Port Moresby without the knowledge of diplomats.
Some of the allegations stem from a secret US National Security Agency document leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden and published by Germany's Der Spiegel magazine which says Stateroom facilities are operated at Australian diplomatic facilities.
A former Australian Defence Intelligence officer told Fairfax Media the country’s Defence Signals Directorate conducted surveillance operations from Australian embassies across Asia and the Pacific.