RI concerned over Myanmar bugging

RI concerned over Myanmar bugging

Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially summoned Myanmar's
Ambassador to Indonesia, U Kyaw Myint, on Tuesday to express the
country's deep concern over suspected bugging by the Myanmar
junta of the Indonesian embassy in Yangon.

The meeting, chaired by Hamzah Thayeb, director for East Asian
and Pacific Affairs at the ministry, came only three days after
legislator Djoko Susilo disclosed the recent finding of an
interdepartmental team that the junta had tapped telephone lines
to the embassy.

"We have strong indications that our embassy in Yangon has
been bugged. This was the finding of the team we sent to Yangon,"
the ministry's spokesman Yuri Thamrin quoted Hamzah as telling
the ambassador.

The bugging is a diplomatic embarrassment for Indonesia given
that the intelligence services of an impoverished country like
Myanmar were able to penetrate the embassy of the largest member
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Myanmar, meanwhile, continues to put the regional grouping in
a difficult position as it has to publicly defend Myanmar's
treatment of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, even though the
grouping does not agree with the junta's policies.

"We also express our deep concern as Myanmar is a fellow ASEAN
member country ... this could undermine confidence within and
among ASEAN nations," Yuri said.

The ministry has set up a joint investigating team, including
members of the National Intelligence Agency, to periodically
check all Indonesian embassy facilities and diplomatic missions
overseas.

"We request that our deepest regrets be conveyed to the
Myanmar government so that they can redress the situation and
avoid similar bugging incidents in the future," he said.

According to Yuri, Ambassador Kwau Myint pledged to bring the
matter up with the Myanmar government as soon as possible.

"We will wait for a clarification from Myanmar's government
after our meeting with ambassador Kwau Myint," Yuri said.

The ambassador could not be reached for comment.