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Roundup: Bilateral ties tested as Indonesia plans to execute Australians in drug cases

Xinhua, February 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bilateral ties between Indonesia and Australia were tested once again following plans of the Indonesian government to execute two Australian nationals for smuggling drugs into Indonesian territory.

Indonesian authorities are finalizing preparations related to the executions against the two Australian citizens, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, as their pleas for life were rejected by a local court in Bali earlier this month.

The executions will likely be conducted in the near future in a place outside Bali where they and the rest of their gang, Bali Nine, were caught smuggling 8.2 kilogram of heroin worth 40 billion rupiah (about 3.1 million U.S. dollars) into the country in 2005.

"In line with the calls submitted by several parties in Bali, the execution should not be conducted there. We are still studying places for their execution outside Bali," Sudjonggo, head of Kerobokan jail where the two Australian convicts were imprisoned, was quoted as saying by local media on Friday.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told local media that Australian tourists might boycott Indonesia should the executions take place.

"I think the Australian people will demonstrate their deep disapproval of this action, including by making decisions about where they wish to holiday," she told Fairfax radio Friday.

She had earlier said she would not rule out recalling Australia 's ambassador if the executions went ahead.

Responding to the developing situations concerning the execution plan, an Indonesian official at the foreign ministry said that Indonesia still regards Australia as its friendly country.

"Australia's efforts to protect its nationals (from the execution) were still conducted in the legal context," Indonesia's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Arrmanatha Nasir said in the ministry's premises on Friday.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has on several occasions rejected clemency pleas for the two, saying he would not approve clemency for those involved in drug cases.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries turned sour in 2013, when Indonesia recalled its ambassador and froze military and intelligence cooperation with Australia following revelation that the latter had spied on top Indonesian officials. Bilateral relations were fixed mid last year with the signing of a "code of conduct" document to govern future ties of the two nations. Endi