RI blamed for cancellation of vital research mission<\/p>\n
SYDNEY (AFP): A U.S.-Australian scientific program to probe
\nthe secrets of the El Nino weather phenomenon has been blocked by
\nIndonesia because of fears it was a spy mission, scientists and
\nofficials here believe.<\/p>\n
Officials said Canberra was "very disappointed" its research
\nvessel Franklin was twice forced to abandon missions into
\nIndonesian territorial waters because of Jakarta's refusal or
\nfailure to approve the ship's entry.<\/p>\n
The study, by Australian and U.S. scientists in collaboration
\nwith Indonesian researchers, is considered vital to Australia's
\ninterests because of the impact the El Nino phenomenon has had on
\nAustralia's economy in recent years.<\/p>\n
The oceanography division of Canberra's Commonwealth
\nScientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), which
\nowns the Franklin, was forced to postpone research in the Java
\nSea in April after Jakarta refused permission on the grounds it
\nhad not followed correct procedures in its application.<\/p>\n
On its most recent attempt, the CSIRO said the ship left
\nAustralia in early September to begin a 32-day research cruise to
\nsurvey what meteorologists term the "Indonesian outflow."<\/p>\n
Permission had been sought from Jakarta to take the ship into
\nits territorial waters to study the system of currents which
\nallow water to flow from the Pacific into the Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n
But a CSIRO spokesman said yesterday that the necessary
\npermission was not granted and the ship was forced to continue
\nthe research elsewhere.<\/p>\n
"I'm pretty sure the Americans were refused permission, but in
\nour case we just didn't receive an answer by the time the last
\nopportunity to get some sort of response was past," the spokesman
\nsaid, adding that the research was continued elsewhere.<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans
\ntold AFP the government was very disappointed that Indonesia had
\nnot co-operated.<\/p>\n
But it was too early to say if the study had failed because of
\nIndonesia's attitude. "We are not sure at this stage what impact
\nthe decision has on the viability of the project," she said.<\/p>\n
"We have made representations over several months to the
\nIndonesian Foreign Ministry and we made a number of proposals
\nwhich we had hoped would meet their reservations, but I can't go
\nany further at this stage."<\/p>\n
Other sources in Canberra said it appeared Jakarta was
\nabnormally suspicious that the study was an intelligence
\ngathering exercise and not a pure scientific mission.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-blamed-for-cancellation-of-vital-research-mission-1447893297",
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