Australia's Tony Abbott cancels trip to Indonesia, and report links it to interception of asylum seekers' boat
Australian PM won't say why he's skipping Bali conference, but report links it to turning back of asylum seekers, a sore point with Indonesia
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott yesterday cancelled a trip to Indonesia amid reports that the interception of an asylum seekers' boat could renew tensions between the neighbours.
Abbott's office confirmed he no longer intended to travel to Bali on Tuesday for a meeting with Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
But it declined to go into the reasons for putting off the visit, which had been seen as a move to improve relations tested by recent rows over espionage and Australia's policies on refugees.
A spokesman for Abbott said: "The prime minister was hoping to attend the Open Government Partnership conference in Bali next week at the invitation of His Excellency President Yudhoyono. The prime minister is grateful for the invitation.
"Unfortunately, the prime minister is unable to attend at this time and he hopes to visit Indonesia to meet the president at a mutually convenient time."
It would have been Abbott's first trip to Indonesia since damaging revelations in November that Australian spies attempted in 2009 to tap the phones of Yudhoyono, his wife and other members of his inner circle.
Jakarta reacted furiously to the news, recalling its ambassador and halting co-operation in key areas including defence and people-smuggling.