Indonesia reconsiders stance against Sweden
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.