Indonesia reconsiders stance against Sweden

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian government has apparently softened its stance toward Sweden after threatening to downgrade diplomatic ties with the country earlier this week.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that the government decided not to be rash concerning its ties with Sweden.

"There are etiquettes that we have to follow in international diplomacy. We should not be reckless," he said.

"Downgrading ties (with Sweden) is not our aim, although it is a possible stance if Sweden gives us an unfavorable response. We expect Hasan Tiro and his accomplices to be punished over their involvement in several crimes here," he said, referring to top leaders of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) separatist rebels.

Tiro and other GAM leaders, such as Zaini Abdullah and Malik Mahmood, have lived in exile in Stockholm for years and have obtained Swedish citizenships.

On Tuesday, Susilo said that the government would submit legal documents detailing terrorist acts conducted by GAM members here upon instructions from their leaders in Sweden.

He claimed that "the government has complete information over GAM leadership abroad in regards their involvement in crimes in the country".

The Indonesian government has been threatening to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Sweden unless the Swedish government took appropriate steps against GAM leaders there.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced over the weekend that Jakarta had given Stockholm three days to respond to its request, but the country declined to take action against on the grounds that the exiled leaders had not violated Swedish law.

In a last-ditch effort to convince Sweden, President Megawati Soekarnoputri is to send a team headed by former foreign minister Ali Alatas to Sweden for a second time later this week.

The government has been under pressure form politicians, including Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais and several legislators, that the government cut ties with Sweden.

"The government has not made any decisions on Sweden. We should not confuse the people," Susilo said.