Minister Retno: Australia Did Not Summon RI Ambassador

Liputan6.com, Jakarta The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Relations, Retno LP Marsudi denied the widespread notion about Indonesian Ambassador in Australia, Nadjib Riphat Kesoema being summoned by the Australian Ministry of Foreign Relations.

Retno affirms that the claim was not true. According to her, there has not been any summon made towards the Indonesian Ambassador in Indonesia from the Australian authority regarding the ironically scandalous photo vividly showing the Indonesian police with the Bali Nine duo. The Indonesian Ambassador immediately confirmed Retno’s statement as he said that he has not received any information regarding the notion of him being summoned by the Australian Ministry of Foreign Relations.

"I want to clarify the notion regarding our ambassador in Australia being summoned by the Australian Foreign Relations Ministry. I have communicated with the ambassador and he even told me that it is not true as soon as I asked.  He said, so far, he has not heard anything that leads to the assumption of him being summoned by the Australian," Retno said at the Ministry of Foreign Relations office in Jakarta, Friday (06/03/2015).

According to a number of local and international media, the Indonesian Ambassador was being summoned by the Australian Ministry of Foreign Relations due to the disappointment of Australia as they found a picture of the Denpasar police, Djoko Hari Utomo with the two alleged Bali Nine ringleaders, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. The photo was taken prior to their departure to Nusakambangan correctional institution.

The Australian Ministry of Foreign Relations claimed that they are upset with the photo as it clearly undermines the two lives that will soon be taken by the Indonesian firing squad.

It is almost seem that the execution is a joke that it was okay to take picture. The speculations extended to the notion of Australia attempting to give a protest note to the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia and another one is the speculation regarding the ambassador also being summoned by the Australian Ministry of Trade. (Akp/Ein)