The Government of Indonesia does not need to react if Australia expresses its discontent in the form of a diplomatic note of protest, or even recalls its ambassador to Indonesia to return to Australia.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government must be wise while facing the Australian Governments reaction to the execution of Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, stated Hikmahanto Juwana international law professor at the University of Indonesia.

Eight of the nine drug convicts on death row, including the Bali Nine duo, were executed simultaneously on Wednesday, at 0:25 a.m. local time, on the island of Nusakambangang in Central Java.

The eight drug convicts executed in the early hours of Wednesday are Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran of Australia, Raheem Agbaje Salami of Nigeria, Zainal Abidin of Indonesia, Rodrigo Gularte of Brazil, Silvester Obiekwe Nwaolise alias Mustofa of Nigeria, Martin Anderson alias Belo of Ghana, and Okwudili Oyatanze of Nigeria.

"The Indonesian Government needs to be wise to face Australias reaction after the execution," Hikmahanto noted here on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Australian Government, through Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julia Bishop, remarked that the Government of Indonesia will have to face the consequences if the Bali Nine duo are executed.

Abbott noted that Australia will voice its distaste for the execution of its two citizens.

However, Hikmahanto stated that the Government of Indonesia does not need to react if Australia expresses its discontent in the form of a diplomatic note of protest, or even recalls its ambassador to Indonesia to return to Australia.

"It is because the two measures remain in the corridor of good manners in interstate relations when a country does not agree with the policy of another country while continuing to respect the sovereignty of the country," Juwana affirmed.

However, he stated that if the Australian action exceeds expectations, Indonesia will have no other choice left but to be firm and stern.

"The core of Indonesias action is that when its sovereignty is at stake, then there is no compromise, and even the government must be subject to the pressure," he pointed out.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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