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Indonesian ambassador to Australia praised after expressing sympathy for executed men

Xinhua, May 1, 2015 Adjust font size:

An Australian government minister on Friday praised Indonesia's ambassador to Australia for acknowledging the challenging period in Australia-Indonesia relations.

On Thursday evening, Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia, released a statement from Canberra in the wake of executions of two Australian drug smugglers in Indonesia this week.

Kesoema extended his and his government's sympathies to the families and friends of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, and said good relations with Australia was important to Indonesia.

Australia's education minister, Christopher Pyne, on Friday praised the ambassador for acknowledging Australia was in shock at the executions but that strong bilateral relations between the neighboring countries were important.

"The Indonesian Ambassador is talking soothingly today about the need to make sure our relationship, our bilateral relationship, is a strong one and gets back on an even keel," Pyne told the Nine Network on Friday.

"That is important. Obviously the whole country is in shock that these two men have been executed, but there is a wider issue and the wider issue is a strong bilateral relationship with Indonesia."

Kesoema acknowledged the damage Chan and Sukumaran's deaths had done to relations, including Australia's withdrawal of its ambassador to Indonesia in protest at the executions.

"Indonesia understands the view expressed by the people and government of Australia on the law-enforcement measures taken against the Bali Nine drug-smuggling ring leaders," he said. Endi