Not so popular: Tony Abbott's boat policy. Credit:Penny Stephens Mr Yudhoyono later stressed that the asylum seeker issue was not just a problem for Australia. ''Indonesia also receives thousands of boat people … we have to manage this inflow and at the same time, if we are the only ones solving this issue, it will not be fair,'' he said. The comments came as an Australian navy ship, HMAS Larrakia, responded to a distress call from an asylum seeker boat with an estimated 80 people on board, 42 nautical miles off the coast of Java. Mr Yudhoyono's comments are the strongest yet from the Indonesian President and appear to be aimed at Mr Abbott, who has claimed his prime ministership would focus on Jakarta, not Geneva, and that his relationship with the Indonesians meant they would accept his policy to tow boats back to Indonesia ''when it is safe to do so''. But Indonesians at many levels, including its ambassador to Australia and Deputy President Boediono, have already made it clear that they dislike Mr Abbott's approach because it seeks to push the problem back to them.

Mr Yudhoyono proposed a conference of ''all parties'' in the region, which he said must be jointly responsible for the increasing flow of refugees and the power of people smugglers. The conference, which Mr Rudd endorsed, should be held by the end of this month and would involve countries such as Afghanistan, Iran and Myanmar, from where the refugees come, the countries they pass through, such as Indonesia, and Australia, their destination. In his first press conference as Prime Minister last week, Mr Rudd received fierce criticism from the opposition when he said Mr Abbott's policy risked ''conflict'' with Indonesia. ''So what happens on day one when Field Marshal Tony puts out the order to the captain of the Australian naval frigate X to turn back a bunch of boats?'' Mr Rudd said. ''And you've got a naval frigate from the Indonesian navy on the other side of the equation?'' We will turn back the boats where it is safe to do so and we will stop the boats.

Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison said in a statement: "We believe strong domestic border policies support the broader regional border security agenda being advocated by Indonesia. That is what the Coalition's policies on our borders are all about." Mr Yudhoyono also seemed to give some concession to Australian concerns about quotas for beef imports, which have cruelled the northern Australian cattle industry. Without saying anything concrete on quotas or his country's policy of beef self-sufficiency, he acknowledged that, with his country's ''consuming class'' growing, the demand for beef would rise beyond the capacity of the local industry. He opened the door to higher imports from Australia, saying there was ''a need for greater co-operation in the field of trade with beef in Australia''. But they agreed Australia should do more to develop the Indonesian industry. Mr Rudd announced a $60 million funding package over 10 years to establish an Indonesia-Australia red meat and cattle forum. Earlier, Mr Rudd said he was optimistic about a future in which Australia provided expertise to a larger Indonesian beef industry, but before that could happen, quotas had to be eased.

Mr Yudhoyono also emphasised that the contentious territory of West Papua was a sovereign part of Indonesia's territory, despite the ''propaganda being spread in many countries of separatism''. Indonesians are often suspicious that Australian wants to split West Papua. Mr Rudd said Australia recognised that West Papua was part of Indonesia.