Australia has signalled it's willing to agree to heal a rift with Indonesia over spying allegations. Source: AAP
INDONESIAN Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa has warned ahead of crucial talks with Australia's top diplomat that Jakarta still expects an explanation of the spying activities that have seen relations with Canberra sink to their lowest point in more than a decade.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will lead a high-level delegation to Jakarta on Thursday for talks aimed at mending relations that have soured in the wake of revelations Australian spies had targeted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his inner circle.
It's understood Ms Bishop will be accompanied by the former chief of Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), Dennis Richardson, now secretary for the Department of Defence.
The visit comes more than two weeks since Indonesia suspended military, intelligence gathering and people-smuggling co-operation after it emerged last month that Australian spies attempted to tap the Indonesian president's mobile phone, as well as that of his wife and other close political allies, in 2009.
Speaking on Wednesday, Dr Natalegawa said he hoped discussions would be "constructive", but warned the onus was very much on Australia in terms of responding to a six-point plan Indonesia insists must be followed if relations are to be repaired.
Asked if there were indications that Australia were willing to sign up to the plan, Dr Natalegawa said he had received positive signals.
"I haven't heard anything to the contrary, which is always a good sign. We wish very much to move forward and to discuss this issue in a positive and constructive way," he said, adding that he was in "constant contact" with Ms Bishop.
But Dr Natalegawa again indicated that Indonesia would still demand a detailed explanation about the spying before negotiations could move forward to the point where the proposed code of conduct would be officially discussed.
"Up to now, it has always been the case that Indonesia and Australia are very close and very pragmatic when dealing with one another," Dr Natalegawa said.
"We need to draw a line and move forward, but before we move forward, we have to be informed about what happened in the past, and assured that there's no more surprises, no more shocks to the system."
The talks would address "sensitive issues as a pre-condition or stepping stone before the discussion of a code of conduct", he said.
Dr Yudhoyono has demanded Australia sign up to the "code of ethics and protocols", insisting it is needed to map out the future bilateral relationship.
The president has insisted that the code of conduct must address the spying issue and contain protocols to ensure similar espionage activities do not occur again, and that it is signed by himself and Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
However, drafting a code of conduct is merely the first step on a long road back to normal diplomatic relations.
The code of conduct must then be implemented, after which there would be a period of evaluation, before Indonesia would agree to restoring co-operation in areas such as the military and police, including joint efforts aimed at combating people smuggling.
Dr Natalegawa has warned that there must also be "a revival of a sense of trust" - the sixth point in Dr Yudhoyono's plan - before Indonesia would look at restoring bilateral co-operation with Australia.
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