Yusril left stranded in Canberra<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Canberra<\/p>\n
A senior Indonesian minister was less than impressed with
\nAustralian hospitality on Monday when security guards outside
\nparliament prevented him from reaching a scheduled meeting with
\nhis Australian counterpart.<\/p>\n
Justice Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra was due to lunch in
\nparliament house with Attorney-General Daryl Williams for talks
\non setting up a joint taskforce to battle transnational crime.<\/p>\n
But guards at the ministerial entrance to parliament had
\napparently not been informed of the visit and kept the minister
\nwaiting for half an hour.<\/p>\n
They then insisted the visiting delegation undergo a rigorous
\nsecurity check, a delay which meant the luncheon meeting had to
\nbe called off.<\/p>\n
"I come to Canberra on a formal visit," Yusril told the
\nAustralian Associated Press.<\/p>\n
"But when I come here, there's no protocols and we are just
\nstanding there about 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
"They had a long time to arrange a visitor pass," he
\ncomplained.<\/p>\n
A spokeswoman for Williams said the Indonesians had been given
\nan official apology for the incident and the meeting with Yusril
\nwas rescheduled for later in the day.<\/p>\n
Yusril was in Australia to urge the government to investigate
\nand return state funds allegedly transferred illegally to
\nAustralia by a fugitive Indonesian banker, Hendra Rahardja, who
\nrecently died in Melbourne.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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