Indonesia reconsiders stance against Sweden<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has apparently softened its stance
\ntoward Sweden after threatening to downgrade diplomatic ties with
\nthe country earlier this week.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that the government
\ndecided not to be rash concerning its ties with Sweden.<\/p>\n
\"There are etiquettes that we have to follow in international
\ndiplomacy. We should not be reckless,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Downgrading ties (with Sweden) is not our aim, although it is
\na possible stance if Sweden gives us an unfavorable response. We
\nexpect Hasan Tiro and his accomplices to be punished over their
\ninvolvement in several crimes here,\" he said, referring to top
\nleaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels.<\/p>\n
Tiro and other GAM leaders, such as Zaini Abdullah and Malik
\nMahmood, have lived in exile in Stockholm for years and have
\nobtained Swedish citizenships.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Susilo said that the government would submit legal
\ndocuments detailing terrorist acts conducted by GAM members here
\nupon instructions from their leaders in Sweden.<\/p>\n
He claimed that \"the government has complete information over
\nGAM leadership abroad in regards their involvement in crimes in
\nthe country\".<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has been threatening to downgrade
\nits diplomatic ties with Sweden unless the Swedish government
\ntook appropriate steps against GAM leaders there.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced over the weekend
\nthat Jakarta had given Stockholm three days to respond to its
\nrequest, but the country declined to take action against on the
\ngrounds that the exiled leaders had not violated Swedish law.<\/p>\n
In a last-ditch effort to convince Sweden, President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri is to send a team headed by former foreign minister
\nAli Alatas to Sweden for a second time later this week.<\/p>\n
The government has been under pressure form politicians,
\nincluding Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
\nAmien Rais and several legislators, that the government cut ties
\nwith Sweden.<\/p>\n
\"The government has not made any decisions on Sweden. We
\nshould not confuse the people,\" Susilo said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-reconsiders-stance-against-sweden-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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