The Indonesian government has reportedly criticised the unilateral decision announced by the Australian immigration minister, Scott Morrison, not to accept refugees from Indonesia, saying it damages relations.



Morrison announced on Tuesday that asylum seekers who had registered with the United Nations high commission for refugees on or after 1 July would not come to Australia.

“We’re taking the sugar off the table,” Morrison told ABC radio. “We’re trying to stop people thinking they can go to Indonesia and wait around till they get to Australia. Indonesia is not a refugee generating country, it’s a transit country and it’s used by smugglers.

“This is designed to stop people flowing into Indonesia. It will help Indonesia.”

But it has been reported that Indonesia’s foreign ministry called in the Australian ambassador Greg Moriarity to raise its concerns about the decision.

The ministry’s Asia Pacific director-general, Yuri Thamrin, told the ABC that the move had created tension between the two countries and threatened relations after recent constructive meetings between leaders and foreign ministers.

Indonesia’s Joko Widodo was sworn in as president last month, and warned Australia at the time that navy incursions into Indonesian waters during boat turnbacks would not be accepted, signalling a tougher approach to issues of sovereignty.

Thamrin stressed the problem of asylum seekers was not Australia’s alone, and said the more effective solution would be a regional approach, such as the Bali process.

He said he told Moriarity unilateral measures only created unnecessary misunderstanding and bilateral tension.