TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono claimed that he still finds it hard to understand why the Australians would tapped into Indonesian officials' communication. According to the President, both countries has a good relationship and therefore no need to spy on each other.
"This is not the Cold War Era where tapping [communications] is a common thing. The world is not like that anymore," Yudhoyono said in his official statement at the State Palace on Wednesday, November 20.
SBY also dismissed the assumption that a country's intelligence agency is allowed to do anything. The President asserted that tapping can only be done when respective states are hostile to each other.
He added that the tapping by Australia violates moral and ethical values of Indonesia and Australia that have been regarded as "best friend, neighbor, and partner."
SBY also stated that he would not talk about confidential information through the telephone. He said that talks about confidential information are conducted face-to-face.
SUBKHAN
