Bugging a part of diplomatic life, says Minister Ali Alatas
Bugging a part of diplomatic life, says Minister Ali Alatas
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas has played down media reports that the Indonesian Embassy
in Canberra had been bugged by Australia authorities, saying such
spying was common practice in international relations.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Alatas added that the
claims remained unsubstantiated.
"The matter of bugging is, I think, part of diplomatic life
everywhere," he said.
The Australian media reported over the weekend that a
sophisticated electronic espionage network had been established
to spy on foreign embassies in the capital city.
Apart from the Indonesian embassy, the embassies of China,
Russia, Malaysia and Iraq were among those identified as having
been penetrated by surveillance and eavesdropping.
The Australian foreign ministry has thus far neither denied
nor confirmed the claims.
Earlier last week the Japanese government vehemently denied an
earlier report that it had used high-tech gadgetry to spy on the
Australian embassy in Jakarta.
Alatas attributed the recent fuss over the matter to media
hype rather than to any breach of diplomatic ethics.
"Firstly, it (the report) may not be true. This is still only
an assumption on the part of the press," he said.
"The press in Australia apparently get very exited over such
news, so there is no need for us to respond prematurely," Alatas
replied when asked if Jakarta would protest against the alleged
spying on its embassy in Canberra.
According to Alatas, the best way to handle the dangers of
espionage was to remain aware and take preventive measures.
"This is a reality, we have to be more alert," he remarked.
Separately, the Indonesian foreign ministry's director of
information, Irawan Abidin, told The Jakarta Post yesterday
evening that Jakarta had not lodged any protest with the
Australian government over the bugging claims.
"We have expressed our concern through our ambassador in
Australia who has conveyed it to the Australian press," Irawan
said.
He added that Jakarta could not do anything further until
there was further evidence that the Indonesian Embassy in
Canberra had really been bugged. (mds)