SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
By Michael Bachelard and Daniel Flitton
03/14/2014
Apologising to Mr Kerry for doing so, and acknowledging it was not directly related to the subjects at hand, Dr Natalegawa raised new revelations that, in early 2013, the Australian Signals Directorate had spied on trade talks between the United States and Indonesia.
The talks were over a dispute involving Indonesian exports of prawns and clove cigarettes to the United States.
Dr Natalegawa said he had ''come across a statement'' by the Australian government on the matter ''and the reference that Australia collects intelligence to save Australian lives, to save the lives of other people and to promote Australian values''.
''Those are well understood . . . but . . . I find it a bit mind boggling, a little bit difficult, how I can connect or reconcile discussions about shrimps and how they impact on Australian security,'' Dr Natalegawa said.
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U.S. stooge Abbot busted again spying on Indonesia |
''To suggest as if the future of shrimp exports by Indonesia to the United States has an impact on Australian security is a little bit much and begs some kind of serious question about what it's all about.''
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Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr. Marty Natalegawa |
Mr Kerry, who has spent two days in Indonesia as part of a tour of Asia, said he understood ''completely'' and respected Dr Natalegawa's comments, adding the spying revelations of Edward Snowden and their effect on international relations were ''a challenge for all of us''.
''We take this issue very seriously, which is why President Obama laid out a series of concrete and substantial reforms,'' Mr Kerry said.
''The United States doesn't collect intelligence for the competitive advantage of US companies, or US commercial sectors.''
New reforms enacted since the Snowden revelations should ensure ''transparency and accountability''.
Mr Abbott took a different tone, insisting that intelligence gathering was all about security and fighting terrorism.
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"Jakarta Jay Leno" John Kerry |
Intelligence had been ''instrumental in the prevention of numerous terrorist attacks, including terrorist attacks in Indonesia,'' the Prime Minister said.
The existence of the Special US Liaison Office Canberra, or SUSLOC, within the embassy was not widely known until the weekend disclosure of leaked documents by former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden, which revealed the Australian spying on the trade talks.
A US spokeswoman said the embassy did not discuss its personnel numbers. But a 2010 audit by the US State Department lists the special liaison office with 32 staff, making it the third-largest of the military sections within the embassy. The audit, marked ''sensitive but unclassified'', also shows other US intelligence ties to Australia.
He would like them to progress more quickly, he said.
The comment comes as Reuters reported a new Indonesian cabinet paper, prepared in January, that suggested it would be six months or more before the relationship was back on an even footing.
Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said on Tuesday that it was clear there were serious issues in relations with Indonesia that need to be addressed.
''It's important to get that relationship back on track and it would be ideal if this was prioritised by the Australian government,'' she told ABC radio.