Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signalled his intention to mend damaged relations with Tony Abbott before he leaves office in October by inviting the Australian Prime Minister to a May conference meeting in Bali.
The invitation, to the Open Government Partnership meeting, was sent in mid-March but the embassy in Jakarta says Mr Abbott has not yet accepted it.
It comes after a series of comments from foreign minister Marty Natalegawa in recent weeks softening the Indonesian administration’s hard line towards Australia that it adopted late last year in response to spying allegations.
Mr Abbott made Indonesia his first overseas trip last September-October, holding a meeting with the President that was widely hailed as a success. But the relationship soured soon afterwards over allegations that Dr Yudhoyono’s phone had previously been tapped by Australian intelligence agencies.
Australia took advantage of that souring — in which Indonesia withdrew police and military co-operation — to step up its hardline stance on asylum boats. In the intervening months, it has returned seven boats to Indonesia, including three orange lifeboats.
But Dr Yudhoyono will leave office next October after serving his full statutory two terms as President, and insiders have suggested he wants to leave with his international relationships in good health.
Achieving this would mean reaching an agreement on what the Indonesians call a “code of conduct” on limiting the scope of electronic surveillance, and what Australia calls a “joint understanding”.
Dr Natalegawa said earlier this week that he is working with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on that document, and signalled that progress was being made. He also indicated for the first time that the process may be simpler and the timeline for completion shorter than he’d earlier indicated.
It’s understood he is acting under pressure from the president to “fix” the situation so that the Indonesian ambassador, Najib Riphat Kesoema, could return to Canberra.
A spokesman for Dr Yudhoyono said the invitation letters were sent to several Asia-Pacific leaders, including Mr Abbott, more than a month ago.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "We are aware that an invitation has been extended to attend the Bali conference. The government is considering the invitation and it will be responded to it in due course."
