Bishop rules out last-minute Indonesia trip to save Australians on death row

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Monday that she will not fly to Indonesia to make personal plea to spare the lives of convicted drug traffickers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

The two Australians will face the firing squad imminently after being sentenced to the death penalty for a plot to smuggle 8.3 kilograms of heroin from Indonesia to Australia in 2005.

Seven other Australian citizens were arrested and dubbed "The Bali Nine."

Australia's ongoing attempts to spare the lives of the reformed duo have so far proved unsuccessful.

Speaking to ABC Radio on Monday, Bishop revealed she had floated the idea of traveling to Bali in an effort to continue the country's appeals, but was warned by diplomats that her presence could ultimately prove harmful to Chan and Sukumaran's chances of survival.

"I'm told that if I flew to Jakarta at this time, it could potentially be counterproductive and it could precipitate an unfavorable outcome," Bishop said.

"What we must do is continue to press behind the scenes. We must make representations to those who can make a difference."

Australia has not ruled out following in the footsteps of the Netherlands and Brazil in withdrawing ambassadors from Indonesia if it follows through with the executions, while Bishop warned that carrying out the death penalty would be a mistake.

"Our message is that a decade on from their crimes, these men are remorseful, they have been rehabilitated and this will be a grave injustice," she said.

"Indeed, a wasted opportunity for Indonesia, because they will be able to demonstrate how successful their prison can be in rehabilitating drug traffickers."

Bishop's comments come as reports circulate in Indonesia that the judges who sentenced both Chan and Sukumaran to death allegedly asked for bribes in place of a lesser penalty.

The claims were made by the pair's former lawyer, Muhammad Rifan, with their current legal team considering whether they will ask for an investigation into the accusations.

However, no evidence has yet been produced to support the suggestions. Endi