"I have instructed our foreign minister to ask the two nations` ambassadors for explanations, even though Indonesia is not explicitly mentioned," President Yudhoyono said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has directed Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa to ask Singapore and South Korea to explain reports about their alleged involvement in wiretapping activities by Australia and the United States.

"In connection with reports that two countries, Singapore, which is our neighbour, close friend and common ASEAN member, and South Korea, also one of Indonesias close friends, have helped Australia and the United States in tapping undersea cable communication networks in Asia and other regions, I have instructed our foreign minister to ask the two nations ambassadors for explanations, even though Indonesia is not explicitly mentioned," he said at his office here on Tuesday evening.

He made the statement after holding a cabinet meeting to discuss future relations between Indonesia and Australia after receiving a response from Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on the allegations that Australian intelligence agencies tapped the phones of Indonesian officials.

President Yudhoyono underlined the importance of formulating a protocol and a code of ethics to regulate future relations between the two countries.

He said he would assign Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa or a special envoy to discuss highly sensitive issues in the relations between the two countries after the wiretapping allegations.

He said he hoped the two countries would implement the protocol and code of ethics after they are signed by the heads of government on both sides.

According to documents leaked by former US National Security Agency employee Edward Snowden and quoted by Australian media, Singapores military intelligence helped American, British and Australian intelligence agencies to collect data through main undersea cable communication networks that connect more than 30 countries, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Britain and France.

The media reports also mentioned the role played by the South Korean intelligence agency in the wiretapping of communication networks that run through Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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