News analysis: Australia's withdrawal of ambassador signals cooling of relations with Indonesia over execution of citizen

By withdrawing its ambassador to Jakarta on Wednesday, Australia has left Indonesia in no doubt about its displeasure over the execution of two of its citizens.

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott pledged, when taking government in 2013, to be "more Jakarta, less Geneva" but his government's dismay at Indonesia's decision to carry out the death penalty has exposed the distrust between the two neighbors.

Indonesia on Wednesday defied sustained international pressure and carried out the execution of convicted drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Indonesia later said that although the death penalty is not " pleasant", it remained vital in the war against drugs.

Abbott was less than diplomatic, however, in describing the executions of Chan, 31, and Sukumaran, 34, as "cruel and unnecessary".

"We respect Indonesia's sovereignty but we do deplore what's been done and this cannot be simply business as usual," he said at a press conference on Wednesday morning confirming the unprecedented move of ambassador Paul Grigson's withdrawal from Indonesia.

"I don't want to minimize the gravity of what we've done."

The disappointment towards Indonesia is multi-faceted but centered around three key areas, namely strident opposition to the death penalty, anger towards Indonesia's behavior in the final weeks of the condemned pair's lives, and a disillusionment towards future police co-operation.

But besides withdrawing its representative in Jakarta and suspending ministerial contacts, Australia is still mulling over how else to signal its deep dissatisfaction.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop foreshadowed last week in the event of Chan and Sukumaran's execution, saying there would be " consequences".

But Australia's ability to influence the independent archipelago nation remains to be seen, as the island continent is actually more reliant on Indonesia than vice versa.

Redirecting its annual 500 million U.S. dollar aid package from Indonesia to Nepal, whose capital was destroyed by a devastating earthquake on Saturday, has support from a significant portion of the Australian public.

However, that figure would barely be missed in an economy of 850 billion U.S. dollars, which feeds 250 million people, many of whom are vociferously opposed to international interference in their domestic affairs.

Australia last enforced the death penalty in 1967 and almost half a century later has become a strident defender of those citizens on death row abroad.

The opposition towards this case was particularly nuanced given the rehabilitation apparent in the two convicts, and the integral role played by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in the initial arrest.

Tipped off by a concerned father of one of the drug mules in Chan and Sukumaran's operation, the AFP alerted Indonesian authorities.

Without the AFP, the Bali Nine would probably have flown under the Indonesians' radar.

But they were arrested, tried and sentenced in Indonesia and any goodwill established through that operation was, at least politically, damaged by the death sentences and destroyed by the resultant executions.

Indonesia's President Joko Widodo was not making any apologies for the executions, saying Indonesia was simply exercising its right to enforce its own laws.

"This is our rule of law, the rule of law concerning the death penalty. We also respect the laws of other countries," he said.

A colonial history has built an Indonesia unwavering in the face of international pressure. Thus, Australia's diplomatic posturing has been noticeable but not hugely effective in achieving their desired outcome.

Worse, it exposed the depth of Indonesian resentment towards Australia built upon obtuse military operations into Indonesian territory, a policy to tow asylum seekers back to Indonesia and Australia's extensive phone tapping of Indonesian leaders.

Relations between the two neighbors have cooled significantly in recent months and they seem likely to remain frosty now for months, or even years.

At which time, Australia might be forced to make the first move at rapprochement and rebuilding of mutual trust. Endi